The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 655: Second update!

The Russians were extremely pleased with the Field Army's siege, which prevented them from immediately capturing Vladivostok. They even shamelessly declared that Russia had stopped the Field Army's advance in Vladivostok, severely crushing the invaders' spirit and securing victory in the Battle of Vladivostok. They also claimed that the Field Army was at its last gasp, and that it was time for a Russian counterattack... Ultimately, victory would undoubtedly belong to Russia.

When Tsar Nicholas II received the news that the field army had destroyed one of his cavalry corps, he was furious and completely incredulous; when he received the news that the field army had captured Chita, Nicholas II was completely furious; what was going on? This was a naked invasion of the great Russian Empire.

If the field army only attacked the territories in the Far East that Tsarist Russia had occupied through the Treaty of Ulysses Selo and the Treaty of Vienna, the Tsar might have felt a little comforted. After all, those lands were indeed seized by Tsarist Russia through improper means, and perhaps they were lost. It would be fine as long as the army in the Far East was preserved.

But now the situation is that the field army has taken the initiative to attack. They not only want to recapture the territories lost by the Qing Dynasty, but also want to invade the inherent territories of the Russian Empire. This is completely unforgivable. The Tsar is now furious and no matter who dissuades him, he will not listen.

Nicholas II's dream was to become a man like Peter the Great and expand the Russian Empire's territory. But instead of expanding territory, Russia is constantly losing territory and troops. This is a grave humiliation for the Russian Empire. The great Russian Empire will never allow itself to be repeatedly bullied by a bunch of yellow-skinned monkeys. He has decided to teach them a lesson at all costs. The previous defeat to the Japanese was already an international disgrace; if they were to lose to the Qing rebels now, it would be more than just a disgrace.

Nicholas II, upon receiving news that the army had secured Vladivostok, breathed a sigh of relief. After all, this proved the Qing rebels were not invincible. Furthermore, Russian bonds issued in financially funded countries like Britain and France had depreciated to the point of being worthless, while new bonds were unsold. This weakened the nation's creditworthiness, and the domestic revolution, far from quelled and intensifying, necessitated a decisive victory to boost morale.

So Nicholas II didn't care about the specific situation below and immediately ordered Anuchin, the Governor-General of East Siberia, to send troops into Mongolia immediately to teach those hateful yellow monkeys a lesson. He must win. At the same time, he also had to send troops to attack eastward to recover lost territory. The wording of the order was unprecedentedly strong...

Perhaps this is why the Tsar hadn't read Sun Tzu's Art of War. It states: "Do not act unless it is advantageous, do not use unless necessary, and do not fight unless it is dangerous. A ruler should not raise an army out of anger, and a general should not go to war out of resentment. Act when it is advantageous, and stop when it is not. Anger can be turned into joy, and resentment can be turned into happiness. A destroyed nation cannot be restored, and the dead cannot be brought back to life. Therefore, a wise ruler should be cautious, and a good general should be vigilant. This is the way to ensure the safety of a nation and its army."

If the Tsar had read and understood the meaning of this passage, he would have known what he should do now. Unfortunately, he hadn't, or perhaps he simply didn't bother to read China's "Art of War." The Tsar's ministers, seeing his current state, knew his stubbornness and knew they couldn't persuade him, so they simply shut up and said nothing. After all, Russia was so vast, and the Chinese couldn't invade Europe or destroy the country. Tsar, if you want to make a scene, then go ahead and make a scene.

However, Foreign Minister Izvolsky said at this time: "Your Majesty, should we contact Britain and France and ask them to support Russia in putting some pressure on the yellow monkey? There is also the issue of loans..."

Nicholas II frowned, looked at Izvolsky coldly and said, "Do as you wish."

When they received the news of the loss of Chita, the Governor-General of East Siberia, Anuchin, and the commander of the Russian East Siberian Theater, Bolivar, were a little bit unbelievable and even panicked. They had fully realized that the field army was different from the Qing army. Not only did the Forward Party have great ambitions, but the field army was also a brave and combative army. Therefore, they did not send troops into the Mongolian region to test it. Even the reconnaissance troops did not go deep into the Mongolian region.

On the contrary, the field army's cavalry constantly engaged in confrontations with Russian cavalry on the border, even conducting cross-border reconnaissance missions. Russia's East Siberian War Zone was frantically gathering supplies and manpower. Those Russians who had fled to Irkutsk early from the Far East were once again stripped of their supplies, and many were even forcibly conscripted.

Even though the field army had damaged numerous railway lines, Russia spared no expense in repairing them. Trains, packed like sardines, carried Russian soldiers and supplies across the Ural Mountains daily. After receiving the Tsar's order for the attack, Anuchin methodically continued to gather troops and supplies. Finally, a force of 250,000 men had gathered in Irkutsk, and Russian troops continued to arrive. While still short of Anuchin's goal, the daily attrition of over 200,000 troops was staggering. Add to that the considerable number of non-combatants, and the preparations for war would be no small feat.

However, facing the Tsar's increasingly urgent orders, even though he was the Governor-General of East Siberia and was not subject to the emperor's orders when he was away from home, he still felt overwhelmed. The pressure was getting greater and greater, and he suffered from severe insomnia, which caused his hair to fall out more and more. In the end, he had no choice but to find Bolivar to discuss the matter of sending troops.

"Your Excellency, Admiral, how long will it take us to complete our offensive preparations?" "Your Excellency, Governor, we will probably need about ten days to complete our pre-war preparations, and then we can launch an attack on the Mongolian grasslands."

Bolivar was beaming. The thought of commanding an army of over 200,000 to 300,000 men to invade the Mongolian steppes filled him with irrepressible excitement. He believed that with such a powerful army, he would sweep across the steppes, achieving one glorious victory after another, ultimately achieving unparalleled feats. What did 250,000 men even mean? Even if they marched across the Mongolian steppes, they would crush all resistance. At that point, with such a tremendous feat, he might very well be promoted directly from general to marshal.

"I don't have ten days to prepare. The guy in St. Petersburg is getting increasingly impatient, so I'll give you five days at most. After that, you must set off."

Bolivar was silent, his mind racing with the possibility of sending troops in five days. Finally, he said, "Okay, five days."

Annuchin then asked: "What's going on with the Qing? They still haven't sent any reinforcements?"

Tsarist Russia naturally derived its intelligence from various sources, much of which came from the Qing dynasty. Their intelligence revealed that the field army deployed no more than 100,000 troops on the Mongolian steppes. Furthermore, they had established a strong defense system, clearing the land and relocating all herders from northern Mongolia to southern Mongolia. They had known this information for a long time, but the destruction of the Siberian Cavalry Corps had left a shadow on Anukhin, the governor of East Siberia, and he remained perpetually concerned.

However, Bolivar had begun to change his mindset. With an army of nearly 200,000 men at his command, he was becoming inflated, no longer valuing the field army's combat effectiveness as he had initially. His only concern was how to lead these hundreds of thousands of troops across the battlefield, conquering everything they faced, achieving unwavering victory and achieving great things, ideally striking fear into the hearts of the Chinese. As the commander-in-chief of over 200,000 Russian troops, he finally understood the truth: in the face of absolute strength, all tricks and tricks were useless; only head-on, absolute strength mattered.

"Your Excellency, Governor, you know that it's not the Qing central government we're fighting against, but the Qing rebels, the same mob that's actually causing riots in our country right now. It's actually not difficult for us to get intelligence on them. We can get a lot of intelligence through the Qing. As for whether these rebels will increase their forces or whether there's a conspiracy, I don't think there's any problem with that.

As long as we can destroy the main force of the Qing rebels on the Mongolian steppes, then the Qing will be a piece of fat meat for our Russian Empire, and we can eat it however we want. As long as we win in Mongolia, the Far East will be nothing more than a minor problem. At that time, as long as we lead the army to attack, the Vladivostok army will rush out, and under the two-pronged attack, the Russian Empire will achieve the greatest victory in history, and will be able to cede more land from the Qing, and achieve an unprecedented achievement.

Chapter 656: Third update!

After hearing this, Anuchin's eyes lit up. If the main force of the field army in Mongolia could be eliminated, then the Tsar's plan for Yellow Russia would be halfway to success. If Yellow Russia were established, then he would undoubtedly be the first to achieve the feat, and he might even be the first Governor-General of Yellow Russia. Every Russian knew that the further south one went, the warmer the climate, and the richer the land. Compared to Siberia, which still had few inhabitants, China was a land of gold. Who didn't know that every invader of China returned rich? Every country that invaded China returned with a splendid harvest, and this was the greatest proof of that. If he could conquer Mongolia, the benefits he would reap would be innumerable.

However, his greed only lasted a short time, as the Governor-General immediately came to his senses. However rosy the future Bolivar described, it would only come after victory; otherwise, empty talk was useless. Furthermore, this victory couldn't be a small one, but a major one that would completely annihilate the main force of the field army. Furthermore, the Chinese had to be subdued, otherwise Yellow Russia would have no peace.

"Your Excellency, Irkutsk is still too far from the Mongolian steppes. Our logistical supply will be very difficult. In addition, the Yellow Monkeys also have a large number of cavalry. They even annihilated the Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps before. Their combat effectiveness is indeed not to be underestimated."

Speaking of the Siberian Cossack Cavalry Corps' destruction, Bolivar's emotions suddenly surged. Based on the reports from the few cavalrymen who had escaped, he knew it was the cavalry commander who had foolishly used his cavalry to charge the field army's positions. Such a suicidal act, how could it possibly fail? Now that he knew the field army's tactics and had sufficient infantry, why should he worry about the enemy? These victorious generals would undoubtedly reap both fame and fortune.

Anuchin and Bolivar were now on the same page, sharing weal and woe. If they lost, neither of them would have a good outcome. Previously, Anuchin had never considered the possibility of defeat, but now he had to consider it.

"Don't worry. I originally needed ten days to prepare, but even five days should be enough for us. This time, as long as we carry enough war supplies and leave the logistics security to the Ural Cossack Cavalry Corps, we will be safe. Even though our cavalry is not as numerous as the field army, after our main force leads the way, the cavalry will no longer need to attack the enemy's positions. They will simply hold a line of communication and escort the logistics supplies without any problems.

Even if my logistics line is cut off, it is no big deal. As long as we quickly capture cities such as Kulun and Uliastai, we will be able to seize a large amount of supplies from those yellow monkeys. These supplies are enough for us to continue attacking those yellow monkeys. As long as we continue to move south, we will be able to collect enough war materials and achieve self-sufficiency.

As the commander-in-chief and a general, Bolivar naturally considered these difficult issues. But no matter how he reasoned, he always felt that his victory was necessary. Facing an army of nearly 300,000, no one could survive the attack of so many troops.

Governor Anuchin could only nod his head. Since Commander-in-Chief Bolivar had already considered these issues, he could only trust Bolivar. What else could he do? He couldn't lead the troops to the battlefield himself.

"May God bless the Great Russian Empire. This time we will wipe out all those yellow monkeys and establish a Yellow Russia."

Anuchin can only do his best and leave it to fate, and can only pray to their God. It can be said that this battle is also a gamble on his and Bolivar's future, as well as the unknown fate of the Russian Empire.

"This time, it was those yellow-skinned monkeys who started the war first and invaded our country. If the Russian Empire wins, no other country can say anything about the benefits it seeks to gain. Most importantly, Japan is currently unable to challenge the Russian Empire, so it doesn't have to spit out the fat meat it has eaten. Even the world hegemon, the British Empire, cannot say anything about it."

Fish see the bait but not the hook, and people see the benefits but not the harm. When a person is immersed in the fantasy of success, prejudice will arise. Success is good, but failure will have serious consequences. These people will inevitably become scapegoats. In order to appease the anger of the people at home, they will naturally be the first to be punished. Losing their job is the lightest punishment, but if they fail, they may lose their life. The defeat was also an extremely heavy blow to the Russian Empire. Russia lost the opportunity to expand in the Far East in a short period of time, and even became a vassal state of Britain and France due to excessive debts.

Most importantly, China's rise posed a huge threat to Russia, with the entire Siberia and Central Asia in danger of being lost, forcing Russia to become even closer to Britain and France. Therefore, the Russian Empire absolutely could not lose this war, as the consequences would be disastrous if it did.

Since there was no large-scale Sino-Russian war in the past history, Zhang Yinghao could not predict the future, so at this moment he did not know how the war would develop into, and where the relationship between the two countries would go? But no matter what the situation would be in the future, the field army now occupied the Far East and had already occupied Chita. Tsarist Russia had lost the initiative and no longer had any support points in the Far East.

In reality, regardless of whether Russia chose to attack Outer Mongolia or the Chita region, the field army now held the initiative, able to attack when advancing or defend when retreating, completely invincible. If the Russian army attacked Chita eastward, the field army cavalry in Mongolia could march north en masse, severing the Trans-Siberian Railway and attacking Russia from behind, creating a pincer attack. Furthermore, no matter how many troops Russia sent to maintain the railway, it would be futile.

And if the Russian army attacks the Mongolian region, then the current Outer Mongolia region has only a few hundred thousand people in total, but the Outer Mongolia region is more than 2,000 kilometers long from east to west. Even if the Russian army really captured Kulun and Uliastai, what can it do? To defend such a vast area, without the support of the local people, let alone the Russian army has only deployed more than 200,000 people, even if it deployed 2 million people, it still cannot completely defend Outer Mongolia. Therefore, completely defending the Outer Mongolia region is actually a false proposition. Any country cannot fill this bottomless pit even if it invests massive amounts of materials into it, and the same is true for China.

Five days passed in a flash. Having hastily completed war preparations, General Bolivar, commander of the Siberian Theater, led a total of 280,000 Russian troops from various directions toward the Mongolian steppes. Subsequent troops continued to flow into Siberia, but the density had significantly decreased.

Russia's choice to attack Mongolia was actually the outcome the Field Army had hoped for. From the moment the war with Russia began, Zhang Yinghao had anticipated and prepared for a protracted conflict. After all, the battle line was vast, stretching from Northeast China to Siberia, Xinjiang, and Central Asia.

Such a long border line was rife with battlegrounds, making a quick end to the war impossible. However, Russia, compared to China, was essentially a long, straight snake. But with Mongolia still in Chinese hands, this snake remained a dead end, unable to manage both ends and ultimately vulnerable. Especially now that the field army had severed one end of this two-headed snake, the remaining positions were merely a series of strongholds, capable of only a desperate struggle.

So, the Russian army's initiative to send a large army to attack the long-prepared target was actually something Zhang Yinghao had been looking forward to. However, Zhang Yinghao now knew that if the revolution had not started in Russia, he would not have faced just three invading armies entering Mongolia, but at least multiple invading armies from Xinjiang and other places.

You have to remember that Russia, like the Qing Dynasty, was currently undergoing a revolution. If the Qing Dynasty had led an invasion, Zhang Yinghao could even imagine that the Qing Dynasty would have immediately knelt down and begged for peace. Yet, Russia was still able to send hundreds of thousands of troops to fight the field army, demonstrating that Russia was far more powerful than either the Qing Dynasty or Japan. Without the support of Britain and the United States, Russia would have undoubtedly prolonged the Russo-Japanese War and ultimately brought down Japan.

Zhang Yinghao was very grateful for the revolution launched by Russia last year. Although it was a series of widespread social unrest events with anti-government purposes or no purpose, such as terrorist attacks, strikes, peasant protests, riots, etc., it was a heavy blow to Russia. Russia's final defeat to Japan in the previous life was also closely related to this revolution.

After all, according to incomplete statistics, the number of strikers in 1906 was about 127 million, and in 1907 it was 74. During this period, peasant and soldier uprisings occurred frequently, and the momentum was huge.

But then again, it was also because this revolution had no organization, no goals, no single cause, no program of action, and no unified leadership. Instead, it was mainly due to decades of national unrest and dissatisfaction with the Romanov dynasty, which led to the inevitable failure of the revolution.

Chapter 657: First update!

Zhang Yinghao should thank the Russian revolutionaries, the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army should thank them, and even the Chinese people should thank them. If Japan had ended in failure in the Russo-Japanese War, it would have greatly strengthened Russia's control over the Northeast, and the consequences would have been unimaginable.

This is also why Russia did not interfere when the Field Army liberated Mongolia and Tannu Uriankhai Banner, drove out Russian capital there, and occupied Russian-developed mines. Indeed, the revolutionaries and the war against Japan greatly absorbed Russia's national strength and energy. Otherwise, the pressure Zhang Yinghao would have faced would have increased exponentially.

When the Field Army liberated Northeast China and drove out the Japanese, the Russians actually wanted to intervene, but the entire Trans-Siberian Railway was basically completely occupied by revolutionaries, which also tied up Russia's energy. Then, the Field Army encroached on the northern Manchuria region, and the Russian army continued to swallow its anger. In fact, it was not that they did not want to fight back, but places like Chita, Khabarovsk, and Vladivostok had previously established Soviet organizations of workers' representatives, and even established the Chita Republic and the Vladivostok Republic. Russia's army and navy had launched uprisings, so Russia itself was largely unable to do what it wanted.

In Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Irkutsk, Tashkent, and other places, strikes or revolutions within the Russian Army bought the field armies considerable time. The Russian Revolution ultimately failed largely because Tsarist Russia hadn't yet reached a critical point of weakness. Consider that Russia's troops expanded from over one million to over seven million during World War I, with a total mobilization of over 15 million, and over nine million casualties, prisoners, and missing. This demonstrates that Russia was still incredibly powerful in 1906 and 2007, making a revolution in that era virtually impossible.

At this point, the Russian army not only sent several armies to attack Kulun and other areas, but also sent troops to attack Tannu Uriankhai Banner and other areas. However, at this time, the liberated areas could only rely on the troops stationed in Tannu Uriankhai Banner to desperately resist. The field army was currently unable to go there and provide sufficient support. However, the number of Russians attacking Tannu Uriankhai Banner was not large. It was believed that the field army there would achieve the final victory and stand with the local people as soon as possible. The main targets of the Russian attack were Kulun and Uliastai areas.

To protect their supply lines from attacks by the field army, the Russian army deployed the Ural Cossack Cavalry Corps, Bolivar's most powerful mobile force, totaling 26,000 Cossacks, to protect these supply lines. Towns along the route, such as Maimaicheng, became Russian strongholds. If the field army attacked these supply lines, the Russians would rely on these brave Cossack cavalry and their strongholds to defeat the field army's cavalry and ensure the army's logistical supplies.

Of course, the Russians chose to forget the fact that the Field Army had more cavalry than the Russians. The soldiers recruited by the Field Army to liberate Mongolia exceeded the Ural Cossack Cavalry Corps. With 26,000 cavalry scattered like pepper on such a long supply line, they were no match for the Field Army's cavalry.

Admiral Bolivar was aware of Russia's current difficulties and knew that it was quite difficult for Russia to gather hundreds of thousands of troops to march to Siberia. However, as he looked at the endless stream of people, he believed that victory would be his. Therefore, even if his retreat was cut off, he did not take it seriously. He had already brought enough war supplies to ensure that he could fight without logistics for a considerable period of time.

Even if the field army really cut off the Russian army's logistics, it would not be a big problem in the short term. In this short period of time, they can easily capture the important Mongolian cities of Kulun and Uliastai. As long as they capture these two places, they will be able to obtain sufficient supplies or turn around to open up logistics channels.

But the Russian army didn't consider the question: Are Kulun and Uliastai so easy to capture? Wouldn't the Field Army's vast stores of supplies there be destroyed in the event of defeat? The Field Army had been preparing for battle in Kulun and Uliastai for a long time, establishing a deep defensive perimeter there. While the lack of reinforced concrete and other building materials meant their defenses couldn't compare to those of fortresses like Port Arthur and Vladivostok, the Russian army's long march didn't allow them to possess the heavy weaponry to destroy the Field Army's defensive perimeter. Furthermore, Zhang Yinghao's past life's experience of the Korean War wasn't in vain; the tunnels' resistance to attack could withstand bombing raids.

The Field Army had little experience in urban defense before, as its focus was on attack, attack, and more attack; only attack could ultimately lead to victory. However, they needed to practice defensive warfare; otherwise, without relevant practical experience, they would face difficulties in the future. Therefore, the recent deployments to Kulun and Uliastai were also intended as training exercises.

Russia's current army equipment is still from the Russo-Japanese era, and has not been updated. In fact, it is far inferior to the Russo-Japanese era. After all, the Russo-Japanese War has depleted Russia's resources, and due to the domestic revolution, the logistics have been unable to replenish in time. With the current Russian equipment, it is not easy to break through these fortifications. Zhang Feng believes that the Russians will inevitably suffer heavy losses in these fortifications.

Without organization and leadership, the Chinese might be like a flock of sheep. But now, under the Party's organization and leadership, they display a courage and perseverance unmatched by most foreigners, including the Russians. Provided the Chinese are adequately organized and armed with class ideology, these armed warriors rarely desert during war, even among trained civilians. The Tsar referred to his soldiers as "gray cattle," but the Tsarist Russian army was essentially incapable of winning battles where the weak prevailed over the strong. This is not the case with the Chinese. Many of China's ancient military tactics teach military commanders to defeat the strong with the weak, the many with the few, and the victory through both the conventional and the surprising.

The Russians had prepared for a prolonged campaign, carrying a vast amount of supplies and marching slowly. Although the distance from Ulan-Ude to Kulun was only 400 kilometers, it still took the Russian army about 15 days, a normal march. If the field army had harassed the enemy, the large force would have been moving and stopping constantly, consuming an enormous amount of time.

You have to understand that a large army march is not just a few people running. The vanguard may have already started lunch, while the troops behind may still be in the barracks and have not yet set off. Fortunately, this is grassland, and the army can advance one legion after another. This not only avoids harassment from the field army, but also greatly speeds up the march. If it were not in grassland, it would take much longer.

Even so, the massive invasion of the Mongolian steppes by hundreds of thousands of people still captured the world's attention. Many people also looked askance at Russia. Russia, like the Qing, was in the midst of a revolution and had suffered a major defeat in the Far East. Yet, Russia was still able to dispatch hundreds of thousands of troops to attack the Field Army. Meanwhile, the Qing was now barely surviving, hanging on only because the Field Army had no intention of replacing it. This demonstrates the enormous disparity in national power between China and Russia.

Military experts from various countries are also predicting the outcome of this battle. Due to the blockade of the field army and the lack of military observers on the Mongolian field army side, various countries can only guess the result. However, they are not optimistic about the outcome of the field army's war. However, they are not sure now. After all, the field army has just demonstrated the hand of God in the Northeast region and created a miracle-like record.

However, these hundreds of thousands of troops did put a lot of pressure on the field army. However, there is a saying that goes, "A nation thrives in adversity." The more powerful the enemy, the more the Chinese people demonstrate qualities such as unity and unwillingness to admit defeat. If you want to destroy them, you must first make them crazy. The Russian army was unstoppable and became more and more rampant, and there was no longer any initial worry. The more powerful the Russian army was, the more unyielding the propaganda in the liberated areas was, and the more the Forward Party could demonstrate its unyielding spirit and win the hearts of countless people.

Chapter 658: The second big chapter update!

Faced with the Russian invasion, and faced with the perfect opportunity to awaken nationalism and patriotism, Zhang Yinghao naturally spared no effort in promoting the concepts of nation and nation, expounding on the principle that weak nations have no diplomacy and that backwardness invites attack. At this point, facing hundreds of thousands of Russian troops, Zhang Yinghao no longer held back, recounting all the unequal treaties imposed on China by Russia. He even plagiarized and adapted Ma Zhanshan's original Jiangqiao Anti-Japanese War Manifesto: "Fighting the National Crisis Ahead of Our Compatriots" into "The Chinese Nation Unites to Face the National Crisis."

Zhang Yinghao first introduced the history of Russian expansion and the Russian army's expansion in the Far East, as well as the wars and massacres that occurred. After Zhang Yinghao finished writing, he immediately changed the subject and wrote out the treaties signed between the Qing Dynasty and Russia in detail. Zhang Yinghao believed that any Chinese who had awakened to national consciousness would be filled with grief and indignation upon seeing these bloody facts. This is the sadness of living in this era. After writing this, Zhang Yinghao immediately began to talk about the harm caused by Russia, demonstrating the determination of the Forward Party:

"Russia has a wicked ambition, and has seized millions of square kilometers of Chinese territory through encroachment. Land is the foundation of a nation. This shows that the Russians want to destroy our nation and our race. Their intention to harm us is obvious!"

Now Russia has once again invaded our Mongolian region, seeking to cede territory and pay indemnities. Our Progressive Party will never concede, and the Chinese people will never compromise. Our field army officers and men, filled with righteous indignation, are compelled to resort to legitimate self-defense, to suppress the enemy's advance, to protect our homeland and preserve the dignity of the Chinese nation. We pledge to sacrifice our lives and shed our blood, regardless of whether the enemy is strong or we are weak.

Since April, the Russian army has launched attacks on our Party and our army from the northeast. Heavy artillery has razed mountains, bombarded the land, and killed and harmed our people with utter brutality. Our soldiers have fought to the death, refusing to yield, ready to die. Blood has flowed everywhere, and they have fought relentlessly. Since then, we have suffered approximately 50,000 casualties. Yet, morale remains undimmed and remains exceptionally high.

Now, the Progressive Party leads the forces of justice and the indignant people in the fight against tyranny. All the facts have been witnessed not only by the local community but also by people from friendly countries. We sincerely fear that the Russian side is misleading others and deceiving itself. With the earnest attention of our compatriots, we must make the fact of this Russian invasion of Mongolia known to both China and the world, so that the truth can be revealed and right and wrong can be determined. Our Progressive Party, the People's Liberation Army, and others have a duty to defend our territory. We share a common patriotism. We know that Shasai, alone, cannot resist the might of Russia. However, with our survival and justice at stake, how can we ignore the situation and sit back and wait for death?

The resistance of our Party and our army is just, and justice is invincible. Any enemy who dares to invade China will pay a heavy price. Friends have been around for a long time, but now the enemy has arrived, and he is greeted with a hunting rifle. Supporting the righteousness of Tian Heng's five hundred men, and following the loyalty of Shao Kang's brigade, valiant warriors are the pillars of our nation. Every man bears his share of responsibility for the fate of his country. I will bravely fight for our country ahead of my compatriots.

"To protect our motherland's land and preserve the dignity of the Chinese nation, we pledge to sacrifice our lives and shed our blood, regardless of whether the enemy is strong or we are weak." "A valiant warrior is the pillar of our nation." "Every man has a share of responsibility for the fate of his country." "To support the righteousness of Tian Heng's five hundred men and the sincerity of Shao Kang's one brigade, we will bravely fight for our country ahead of our compatriots."

Do it knowing it is impossible, fight knowing you will lose, and go to the battle knowing you will die.

Although Zhang Yinghao plagiarized, reading it still makes one feel sad and angry, as well as excited. This telegram was originally written in a very exciting and captivating way. The strong would be unable to sit still after reading it, and the weak would also shout out loud after reading it.

When Zhang Yinghao published his article, the Western powers, seeing his determination, were terrified, their arrogance subsided, and their morale waned. But when the Chinese people read the article, anti-Russian sentiment surged across the country, and the people were energized, vowing to fight the invaders. Recruitment centers were packed, and people donated money and supplies to support the front.

After seeing the results of the propaganda, Zhang Yinghao was very satisfied. War was just a continuation of politics. Zhang Yinghao was no longer worried about whether Zhang Feng would win or lose in Kulun. Even if he lost, so what? As long as he had the support of the people, he could fight back in the future. Zhang Yinghao now understood why Taizu and his men were not afraid of the Soviet Union and the United States. As long as they stood with the people, they would gain endless strength. This was also the reason why Taizu said during the counterattack against India, because the plateau environment was too harsh: "If we fail, we don't have to blame others. Even if Xz eventually falls into the hands of the enemy, we must have the confidence to retake it!"

Of course, many voiced pessimism, believing the PLA would inevitably fail in this battle, forcing them to face hundreds of thousands of Russian troops. Zhang Yinghao sometimes found it difficult to understand the feelings of those who didn't understand the power of the people. For example, if Zhang Yinghao were asked to sign a traitorous treaty like the Qing, he would never have done so. At worst, Zhang Yinghao would imitate Taizu's frequent sayings and say, "At worst, we can just go back to the mountains."

Those who dare not mobilize the people would never say this, because once they leave the public eye, once they leave their positions, they will never be able to make a comeback. Only political parties rooted in the people can take root and grow strong anywhere. Therefore, going to remote areas is no problem at all.

Of course, Zhang Yinghao also wrote some threatening words at the end to deter the scoundrels. He wrote:

"To defend the sacred territory of the motherland, the Forward Party will fight the Russian invaders to the bitter end, fighting as long as we live. At this critical moment for the nation, any domestic forces that dare to attack our People's Liberation Army are traitors and betrayers of the people. Once the People's Liberation Army wins the self-defense counterattack, these traitors will be punished. Anyone who dares to commit acts of treason will be eliminated by our Forward Party as a traitor, collaborator, and traitor..."

Zhang Yinghao naturally felt perfectly safe in writing these threats in the newspapers at this time. With the national interest at stake, who dared not submit? Even Chiang Kai-shek, the most active in suppressing the Communists in his previous life, ultimately had to ostensibly submit. This was a matter of righteousness, not a matter of personal will. To refuse to submit would be to be abandoned by the entire nation, becoming a traitor to the people and a tyrant. The fate of traitors and tyrants is clearly documented in history books.

At this point, driven by the Forward Party's propaganda, the war between the PLA and Russia had risen to the level of a national and ethnic crisis. While the PLA believed the Qing wouldn't dare risk universal condemnation and attack the PLA, they believed the Qing couldn't be trusted. As a precaution, the troops at Shanhaiguan, Tongguan, Wushengguan, and other locations not only remained stationary but also reinforced their defenses. If the Qing made any move, attacking the liberated areas, even if Russia temporarily occupied Mongolia, they would first be annihilated, and that meant a complete and complete physical annihilation.

Because now the field army has taken Shuangchengzi, Blagoveshchensk, the entire Ussuri River and Sanjiangkou area, as well as Blagoveshchensk and Chita, Russia has lost its core areas such as Primorsky Province and Amur Province, and the Russian government will be unable to regain these two areas! Even if Russia temporarily occupies Outer Mongolia, or even the Hulunbuir area, China has the ability to retake these lands in the future.

If there was one person who most desired the PLA's defeat at this moment, ideally a mutual destruction of both sides, besides the Qing court, it was Japan. Ever since the Field Army drove the Japanese out of Manchuria, they had constantly sought revenge against the Field Army. However, the Field Army had driven the Russians from northern Manchuria much more quickly than they had driven the Japanese, and the speed with which they had eliminated the Russian forces in the Far East far outstripped the Japanese's reaction time. Therefore, aside from minor border maneuvers, Japan had shown no signs of a major troop increase. In Zhang Yinghao's view, the war with Russia had eroded Japan's accumulated strength since the Meiji Restoration. The Fifth Field Army's expulsion of the Japanese from Manchuria had effectively set Japan back at least a decade, essentially halting its path to prosperity. Even the benefits of World War I were unlikely to be fully realized. As for the future course of history, a Japan without Manchuria was never a consideration for Zhang Yinghao. Japan was now, at best, a stumbling block, a mere stumble and minor injury, nothing serious.

According to the field army's combat plan against the Japanese, any Japanese troops crossing the border and harassing our border areas must be severely beaten back. Zhang Yinghao, who came from the future, had a deep understanding of the Japanese temperament. Zhang Yinghao's current provocation to Japan was simply one sentence: If you want a war, then fight. After being severely hit by the field army several times without gaining any benefits, the Japanese on the border were relatively quiet.

At this moment, Japan's new Prime Minister Kimmochi Saionji, Japan's five cabinet ministers, Finance Minister Takahashi Korekiyo, the Army Chief of Staff, the Navy Chief of Staff and other important court officials held a sinful meeting in the Prime Minister's Office.

"Gentlemen, in accordance with His Majesty's instructions, the Foreign Minister will now introduce to you the situation in the Far East," said Saionji Kimmochi.

"Gentlemen, according to the latest intelligence, despite the revolution at home, the Russians have still gathered over 300,000 troops to march into Mongolia. Meanwhile, the Chinese troops have already captured Chita and are now building permanent fortifications. The Far East forces must retain at least two divisions to siege Vladivostok. Northeast China is currently vulnerable. If we send troops now, the Chinese will inevitably fight on three fronts, allowing us to retake South Manchuria and even seize the entire Northeast."

The Foreign Minister, this old devil, explained the current situation in Northeast China in just a few words. Everyone's eyes suddenly lit up after hearing this.

"Yoshi, Lucia refused our request for help, and now she's been beaten to a pulp by the Chinese. She's almost lost all her territory in the Far East."

Former Prime Minister Katsura Taro naturally spoke first, explaining that his previous defeat by the field army was understandable, given the Russians' losses. Millions of square kilometers of territory had already been captured by the field army. In fact, upon hearing this news, the Japanese soldiers were furious. After all their hard work, the Japanese had only secured 3,000 miles of the Korean Peninsula and a single island. The Korean Peninsula was only officially annexed by Japan after Ito Hirobumi negotiated the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty, and it remained a mere colony. However, the entire Korean region was in turmoil, especially after the devastation caused by the Chinese. Japanese investors in Korea suffered heavy losses. If the field army hadn't been completely blocking the border and offering no support to the Koreans, chaos would have erupted throughout Korea.

By this time, Korea was already awash in blood and tears. To repay their debts, the Japanese established death mines, implemented the baojia system, and implemented harsh laws, forming conscripted men and implementing collective responsibility. Koreans were often captured and sent to the death mines. Once inside, they were forced to work like robots, starving and working tirelessly. A normal person would die of exhaustion after a short time, and countless bodies were buried next to the mines.

Under such torture, the miners' willpower was extremely strong, and countless escapes occurred every day. Although many were recaptured, there were always some who escaped. These escapees would soon join the anti-Japanese organizations in North Korea. They desperately attacked the mines in an attempt to rescue more miners. The miners' willpower was so strong that they could go days and nights without sleep. The Japanese also had to spend a lot of effort to guard the mines at this time. Otherwise, if all the miners were rescued, it would be a disaster for the Japanese in Korea.

The Forward Party was not unaware of the current situation facing the Korean people, but they were currently at war with Tsarist Russia and had not yet achieved liberation. In order to avoid provoking the Japanese and maintain peace, they naturally would not liberate Korea. Although the soldiers of the Field Army sympathized with the Koreans who came to the Field Army for help, they had to abide by discipline and could not provide assistance. Of course, they could also allocate some land to the Koreans. After all, the Northeast was sparsely populated, so these Koreans could be considered as reclaiming wasteland for China. When Korea was liberated in the future, they would all be sent back. As for providing firearms and the like, that was impossible for the time being, after all, the Field Army was currently short of guns and ammunition.

Of course, if Japan were to send a large army again and attempt to attack our Northeast region, the field army could immediately organize a Korean anti-Japanese team and send them to Korea, while also providing them with some Japanese weapons. In this way, they could establish their own strongholds in the northern mountainous areas of Korea, attack mines, tie down the Japanese army, and reduce the pressure faced by the field army. Of course, these are all later stories.

"If we can occupy the entire Northeast China, then there will be no problem for us to send troops. But if we can only occupy half of the area, if we still cannot destroy the Chinese field army, I am afraid that the Northeast will become a new bleeding wound for the Great Japanese Empire."

The mention of fresh bloody wounds instantly darkened the faces of those present. In reality, as long as nationalism awakened in the enemy nation, the occupying forces would face constant and endless trouble. Any rational deduction of the war situation would inevitably lead to failure. Only by exterminating the indigenous population and then relocating them could this problem be resolved once and for all.

"If Russia joins us in attacking Northeast China from both sides, we should be able to completely annihilate the Northeast's field army. The field army is currently vigorously developing industry in Northeast China, establishing steel bases in places like Anshan and Benxi, and they have built countless small iron furnaces. They are even starting to build a large heavy industrial base in Shenyang. Northeast China is rich in resources. Once we control the entire Northeast, the heavy industry of the Empire of Japan will be able to achieve a leap forward in development."

By the time the People's Liberation Army liberated Wuhan, the supply of iron ore, coal, and other materials to Japan had been cut off. Later, when the war broke out, the new government seized all Japanese in China and their property, making it impossible to transport industrial raw materials. Later, Japan lost its entire Northeast China interests. This directly led to the abrupt end of Japan's industrialization path. If it weren't for the exploitation of North Korea, Taiwan, and its own farmers, Japan would have collapsed.

The most direct impact was the reduction of the Japanese army. No longer worried about Russian retaliation, Japan appropriately reduced its troop numbers. Due to a shortage of coal and iron ore, battleships that should have been commissioned are still sitting on the slipway, and they'll be thankful to see them commissioned in two or three years.

"The Northeast is indeed very important to the Empire of Japan. If Russia is willing to join us in attacking the field army and hand over the Northeast to us after the war, then we can fight this battle. After all, the strength of the field army is now being tied down by the Russians, and our chances of winning are extremely high." Terauchi Masayoshi said.

At this moment, both the army and navy were eager to engage the field army. Avenging their previous defeat was one factor, but they also coveted the mineral resources of Northeast China and the industries being built there by the field army. Although the Japanese were unaware of the cost of attacking an industrialized region, they instinctively wanted to capture Northeast China before the Forward Party completed its construction.

Those present were all Japanese elites, and they viewed the Qing dynasty more clearly than the Chinese, having experienced it themselves. They were fully aware that once China completed its revolution and made a magnificent turnaround, Japan's continental dream would be completely shattered. To once again plunder that rich continent would have to wait for the next cycle. Maritime nations could only succeed when the continent weakened and regimes shifted.

However, since this was a matter of negotiation, the decision to send troops could not be made solely by the Army and Navy. It would require the unanimity of other cabinet ministers and consultation with the Western powers. Otherwise, Japan would not be able to send troops. Now that the Navy and Army Ministers had expressed their views, it was time for the other ministers to speak.

"Gentlemen, I'm willing to send troops, but we don't have the funds. The Ministry of Finance doesn't have a single cent to support this war," the old Finance Minister said expressionlessly. His meaning was clear: I support you sending troops, but if you want money from me, then I can only say that I can't do it.

"Oh....…""

The smiles on the faces of the high-ranking officials who were still fantasizing about the army's invincibility suddenly froze on their faces. Once the cannon was fired, they would get ten thousand taels of gold. However, before getting the ten thousand taels of gold, they had to at least pay for the cannonballs. Without money, there was no point in fighting.

"Why? It's been several months and the rice riots have almost subsided, so why is there still no money?" Someone in the military immediately protested.

People with common sense would roll their eyes at this question. I wonder what these army idiots have learned in the military. Don’t they understand simple fiscal policies?