The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

The Russian army rotated onto the battlefield, and so did the field army. After all, humans are not made of steel, and their energy and physical strength are constantly depleted, especially in fierce fighting. Furthermore, the field army's current strength was entirely based on its powerful firepower, which led to a rapid consumption of weapons and ammunition on the front lines. Therefore, after the soldiers experienced the battlefield, they had to begin preparing for the possibility of a long-term war.

"Pass the order down. Rotate the troops on the front lines. The difference between new recruits and veterans is whether they've been on the battlefield. Have the comrades rotate out as quickly as possible. After they've experienced the battlefield, summarize the lessons learned as quickly as possible and arrange for their rest."

The field army prioritized rest for its soldiers. When arranging work, each department tried to ensure soldiers had ample rest. Zhang Yinghao firmly believed that only with adequate rest could one work effectively, and rest was the foundation for better work. Of course, special training didn't count. After all, normal training is training, while abnormal training is tempering. Soldiers must temper their willpower, so these were all normal. In just over a day, all the soldiers in Kulun had completed a rotation.

Zhang Feng decisively issued an order: "If the combat effectiveness of soldiers on the front lines declines, lessons learned must be summarized and soldiers rotated. Political commissars and instructors must constantly monitor the soldiers' psychological states and changes, and provide timely guidance to them..."

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief."

The Russian troops advancing from Europe were completely unfamiliar with trench warfare and hadn't even breached the first line of defense. Soldiers stationed in the second and third lines of defense repeatedly replaced those on the front lines through the communication trenches. This influx of fresh troops kept the field army's combat effectiveness at a high level. The Russian attack finally ended in the evening.

However, in front of the field army's position, the bodies of the Russian soldiers had piled up thickly. The blood from these Russian officers and soldiers had soaked the soil. In some low-lying areas, small puddles of blood had appeared.

As night fell again, the Russian troops attacking Kulun withdrew from the battlefield like the receding tide. However, they could not take the bodies left on the ground with them. The pungent smell of gunpowder and blood in the air testified to the brutality of the battle.

"Ha! Another day of fighting is finally over, the Russians have finally retreated. They really fought like hell! They lost tens of thousands of troops on the battlefield today alone, right?"

Zhang Feng stood on the wall of Kulun with a frown, looking at the dark battlefield through a telescope and thinking silently!

For more book resources, please add QQ: 775111838. This book is constantly being updated.

Chapter 671: First update!

The current Russian army tactics are still stuck in decades ago, completely out of touch with the times, and completely unaware of the horror of the new defensive tactics of the First World War, which consisted of canals, trenches, communication trenches, foxholes, field fortifications, concealed firing points, barbed wire, machine gun crossfire networks, snipers, mortars, etc. If these elements were combined together and the logistical supplies were sufficient, the attacking Russian army could completely break their steel teeth and make it impossible for the Russian army to advance.

On the battlefield, especially along the barbed wire that had been deliberately set up to facilitate the Russian attack, the bodies of the Russians lay piled high and low. Countless wounded soldiers, gravely wounded but not yet dead, lay groaning in their last breath, while those hanging on the wire let out shrill cries before slowly fading away. However, no one cared about them anymore, and no one was prepared to rescue them.

"Commander-in-Chief, the Russians have sent out so many troops, but they still returned empty-handed. It seems that their plan to break through our defenses and capture Kulun is simply impossible!"

Comrades naturally have such an opinion now. After all, the Russians have not even broken through the first line of defense.

Zhang Feng nodded, then shook his head and said, "There are many reasons why we dealt the Russians such a heavy blow in Kulun this time. The main internal reason is that we prepared sufficient ammunition and supplies for this battle, and our soldiers were not afraid of hardship or death. The external reason is that the Russian army's tactics are still too old-fashioned, and they are even superstitious about charging to the point of not knowing how to adapt. The Russian army has been attacking for such a long time now, and many of the Russian troops on the front line still dare to use medieval line formations and volleys. Coupled with our barbed wire to guide them, the Russian army is just waiting for us to slaughter them."

The comrades listened to Zhang Feng's words and nodded in agreement. Faced with the Russian army's suicidal behavior, the field army soldiers naturally would not miss this opportunity. Even with a large number of trench guns, they would desperately shoot and kill the Russian soldiers. The soldiers also knew that the Russian army was not all fools. Once the Russian army changed its tactics, the soldiers might not have the opportunity to massacre them.

Zhang Feng continued, "The Russian army can't keep attacking like this. They'll always find ways to deal with us, and they'll use every possible means in war. Furthermore, the further we advance, the harder it will be to destroy the Russian army. Mutual firing will inevitably result in casualties among our soldiers, so don't be fooled by the Russian army's current casualties. The Russian army still has a clear advantage, and they haven't lost much. In addition, we must be prepared for a sneak attack from the Russians at night!"

Since the Russians were unable to break through the field army's position during the day, they would definitely think of other ways. Using the night time to launch a night attack was undoubtedly the best way. As long as the Russian army wanted to break through Kulun, the Russian army would launch a night attack sooner or later. This was an inevitable fact.

"it is good."

Zhang Feng wanted to collect the weapons and ammunition of the wounded Russian soldiers, which would greatly alleviate the pressure on the military supplies consumed in the battle. However, he was also very worried that the injured Russian soldiers would secretly shoot and cause unnecessary casualties among the soldiers. After careful consideration, and considering the current weapons and ammunition reserves in Kulun, he decided that it was not necessary for the time being.

Zhang Feng looked up and saw the soldiers, taking advantage of the breaks in the fighting, digging trenches, remedying the imperfections they had felt during the previous battle. The trenches became increasingly suitable for this battle; learning war from war is the best truth. The soldiers knew digging trenches was to minimize their own losses and reduce unnecessary casualties, so they worked extra hard, regardless of their post-battle fatigue. Perhaps they were truly experiencing the true meaning of "more sweat in peacetime, less blood in battle."

Zhang Feng looked at the dead Russian soldiers again. In war, if corpses were not promptly handled, the most common and terrifying consequence was the outbreak of plague. This was because after death, the corpses would breed various bacteria. These bacteria would cause proteins and sugars in the body to break down into inorganic substances and gases, which is known as corpse decay.

The ultimate consequence of a corpse is that it becomes a massive source of pathogens. If a corpse isn't promptly disposed of, it will inevitably attract a large number of flies, insects, and other scavengers. While the temperature difference between day and night in Mongolia is indeed quite large, the temperature is generally high. A corpse will begin to smell within two or three days at most.

The bacteria and viruses produced by the decaying corpses will begin to spread outward on a large scale. Since there are so many corpses now, the bacteria will begin to spread on a large scale. If you are unfortunately infected, it is easy to make the body sick and may eventually cause death. These viruses and bacteria originally come from humans and are suitable for infecting humans, so the plague naturally arises.

Zhang Feng remembers having frequent bouts of the illness as a child, but never understood the cause. It wasn't until he heard Chairman Zhang Yinghao lecture on the importance of military hygiene and the need to dig latrines in the wild that he finally understood the cause. He still remembers Zhang Yinghao's words: "If someone defecates in the wild, before the feces are fully decomposed, a unique environment will form in that small area, where bacteria and viruses can persist. When another person passes by, these bacteria and viruses can infect them."

Because these bacteria and viruses originally come from the human body, and many of them have even mutated and become more viable, the infected people may suffer from vomiting and diarrhea at the mildest, or fever and cold at the worst..."

The Chairman said the reason was that these new viruses and bacteria disrupted the body's natural bacterial balance, causing illness. Regardless of the cause, it was an indisputable fact that he would inevitably become ill every time he passed through these places in the mountains. It was for this reason that the bodies on the battlefield had to be disposed of as quickly as possible.

How to deal with the bodies left on the battlefield during the battle? Zhang Feng was troubled. At this point, neither China nor Russia had reached a tacit understanding, nor had they sent personnel to communicate, agreeing to a cessation of fire within a certain period of time, with the Russian side dispatching designated personnel to handle the bodies. Cleaning up the battlefield posed many hidden dangers, even more terrifying than killing the enemy on the battlefield.

If the Russian soldiers hid under the bodies of their comrades, used the bodies of their companions as cover, secretly fired cold shots, or placed booby traps, or even lay down and pretended to be dead, and then suddenly detonated a grenade and died together with the soldiers who were clearing the area, they would be either killed or seriously injured.

This underhanded tactic would cause many new recruits to sacrifice their lives in vain. Therefore, when new recruits joined the field army, veterans would warn them: clearing the battlefield is dangerous, and obtaining supplies must be done with caution.

However, Zhang Feng couldn't be sure how long this battle would last. If we calculated based on the Russian casualties in the past two days, this battle would only last ten days or half a month. But the Russian army wouldn't be so stupid. The field army would learn war through war, and the Russian army would too. So it was possible that the battle would last for several months or even half a year or a year.

Zhang Feng looked back at the battlefield. Facing the still-sneaky Russian soldiers, regardless of whether they were genuinely wounded or feigning injury, the field army remained silent as long as they didn't stand up and flee. Suddenly, an idea struck Zhang Feng, and he said, "Order the uninjured soldiers on the front lines. Remember, you must keep your bodies clear of gunpoint. Collect weapons and ammunition from the bodies of the Russian soldiers before dawn tomorrow morning. Remember to bring bayonets and pistols, and wear masks. Do not disturb the bodies; only collect weapons and ammunition..."

Zhang Feng suddenly realized that if a night passed, those Russian soldiers who could escape would have done so secretly, and those who couldn't would have bled to death. The Russians would have had no time to fire, so this would be the safest time. Furthermore, if the Russians suspected that Kulun was seriously short of guns and ammunition, they might have unexpected gains.

Chapter 672: First update!

Bolivar finally arrived at the frontline headquarters, but he saw that the officers inside were all bewildered, confused, helpless, or even pale with fear. In short, these officers had completely lost their previous confidence and were more like a group of children who had made mistakes in front of Bolivar.

Bolivar, who was originally unhappy with the battle report, immediately became furious and could no longer suppress his anger and shouted loudly: "Ivanovich, what the hell are you doing? Are you here to die? The casualties of a brigade or a division every day, isn't it an absurd joke? Even if it is 10,000 pigs, the Chinese can't kill that many..."

Ivanovich's eyes were red, and his entire body was trembling slightly as he stood at attention, gritting his teeth as he listened to Bolivar's reprimand. Two days of fighting had deeply affected Lieutenant General Ivanovich. The Russian attack was truly valiant. Yet, despite suffering heavy casualties, they were still unable to break through the field army's defenses.

Lieutenant General Ivanovich was already somewhat worried. Could they break through the field army's defenses and capture Kulun? If not, then they were all doomed. Hundreds of thousands of troops would most likely be lost on the Mongolian steppes. Although a few hundred thousand troops might not be a large number for Russia, it would undoubtedly be a heavy blow to Russia at this time.

For these high-ranking military leaders, such a defeat was a devastating blow. Even if they survived, they would likely be sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. By then, their futures would be completely ruined. Even if they were lucky enough to escape and return home, they would face military trials and perhaps exile to the desolate Siberia.

After Bolivar finished his scolding, Ivanovich raised his eyes and said, "General, please come with me to a place."

After saying that, Ivanovich took Bolivar to a hidden spot on the front line. Just as Bolivar was about to speak, he smelled a faint odor of decay. Just as Bolivar was about to ask a question, Ivanovich pointed to the field army's position and said, "General, please look!"

Bolivar didn't waste any time, looking through his binoculars. He saw nothing but a slightly undulating plain ahead. No peaks, no dangerous terrain, just a desolate, barren landscape. The soil was mixed with rocks, and there wasn't even a blade of grass. The first thing that caught Bolivar's attention was the massive wooden stakes, buried at who knows how deep. Attached to them was something, and he immediately realized it was wire.

The wooden stakes and wire formed a sparse network. Further back, there were rock-like structures, only two or three feet off the ground. In front, there seemed to be some small, dark windows. Even with his telescope, he couldn't see anything inside. This was the most convenient route to attack Kulun. Once they broke through here, they could enter Kulun.

Suddenly, Bolivar noticed a mass of people lying on the ground. He looked closely and realized they weren't living people, but rather the bodies of Russian soldiers, piled high in piles in some places. The stench of decay that filled his breath made Bolivar's face turn pale, and his stomach cramped. If it weren't for the overwhelming pressure and the news of the heavy losses on the front lines, which had prevented him from eating, he would have vomited immediately.

Bolivar crossed himself, unable to tell whether he was in the human world, heaven, or hell. He couldn't believe how such a shabby place could cause such heavy losses to the Russian army. It was simply unbelievable.

Ivanovich suddenly said: "General, this battle lasted for two days and more than 10,000 of our soldiers were killed. It's really not my fault..."

Bolivar was too lazy to listen to Ivanovich at this time and said directly: "Okay, no need to say more, it will be dark soon. Let our army attack again to show me how powerful the enemy is. Otherwise, you will be court-martialed."

Ivanovich didn't say anything. Since Bolivar wanted to see it, then he would let him see it. Anyway, the front-line troops were still at the front line, and the attack was just a matter of words. So Ivanovich immediately gave the order to attack, and the Russian army immediately launched another attack.

Soon, the Russian army, having received the order, launched another attack. The same routine, the same taste, the Russian army first fired a barrage of artillery, and the shells fell on the position, raising a sky full of stones and mud. Bolivar felt a little excited watching through the telescope. With such a fierce bombardment, how could the enemy survive?

Bolivar lowered his binoculars and turned to look at Ivanovich, as if to say: Is there a problem? Why can't we capture the enemy position?

But Ivanovich didn't look at Bolivar, but continued to look at the front line. Bolivar swallowed and continued to look through the telescope.

"Hurrah! Hurrah!"

"Warriors, charge! Cut down those stakes and cross this plain, and you'll be rewarded handsomely!"

Hearing of the bounty, the Russians shouted "Ura" even louder. Amidst these cries, the Russian army, led by junior officers, charged forward. This was flat ground, with nowhere to hide. The sight of thousands of infantry charging abreast gave the impression of an overwhelming force.

The first line of barbed wire was already in tatters and was easily broken through. The second line was relatively intact. The Russian army either tried hard to cut the barbed wire in front with an engineering shovel, or ran towards the nearby gap in the barbed wire, trying to bypass it as soon as possible.

Up to this point, the field army's position was completely silent except for the Russian army's subconscious shouts and howls, without even a single gunshot.

From the Russian perspective, if they were within thirty or forty meters of the enemy, victory would be virtually assured. The Russians, with their large build and superior strength, enjoyed a significant advantage in close-quarters combat. The Russians attacked fiercely, thousands of men charging forward with rifles in hand, quickly approaching the first trench. Even then, the enemy position remained utterly silent, not a single shot rang out. Bolivar watched the army surge into the trench like a tide, his fury rising. He lowered his binoculars once more and turned to look at Ivanovich. He hadn't believed a few lines of barbed wire could halt the Russian advance, and now everything he'd imagined had come true. The situation now indicated that Ivanovich wasn't incompetent; what else could he say?

Since there were relatively few attackers, the field army did not need to waste precious artillery shells and could simply use machine guns to attack.

"Da da da"

There was finally some movement in the field army position. Bolivar immediately picked up the telescope and looked, and saw a series of flames spurting out from under several "stones". The Russian army that was about to rush to the position was immediately hit by a devastating blow, and fled again according to the route planned by the field army, and the phenomenon of people crowding together appeared again.

At this point, Bolivar was stunned. The Russian army, which had attacked with such force not long ago, had become the target of slaughter. He watched the ordinary barbed wire, now interwoven with the dynamic force of the cross, reveal its demonic fangs. He could only watch with a grim expression as the Russians struggled like rats in a dead end. Facts had proven before his eyes once again that it was not impossible for the Russians to lose thousands or even tens of thousands of troops in a single day.

He subconsciously estimated the number of Russian soldiers who had escaped. With thousands of soldiers attacking, only two or three hundred escaped. In other words, the Russian army lost 70% to 80% of its soldiers in just one attack. What a terrifying fact!

Soon, a brief battle report reached Lieutenant General Bolivar. In the recent battle, their regiment had lost over 70% of its troops. They hadn't even been able to break through the field army's first line of defense, not even close. This made Lieutenant General Bolivar look very unhappy.

"Order the troops to rest tonight. When attacking tomorrow, we must combine with artillery to destroy all the enemy's firepower points. Launch a night attack tomorrow night! No matter what, we must break through the defense positions of those yellow monkeys." Lieutenant General Bolivar said viciously.

The situation was now clear: an attack on the Kulun Fortress was imminent. The Russian army didn't have much time to drag things out. If they couldn't capture Kulun City, they would be in danger. Apart from anything else, the lack of war supplies alone was enough to kill them in Kulun City.

The field army's previous harassment with cavalry had cost them an inordinate amount of time on the road. As a result, after reaching Kulun, they could only hold out for a little over two months. If they still couldn't capture Kulun within three months, they wouldn't even have enough food. By then, let alone continuing the attack, the Russians would likely starve to death.

“Yes, General!”

The Russian generals, aware of the urgency of the battle, followed orders one after another. Especially their vanguards, who had boasted before Bolivar, now hadn't even taken down a single line of defense. How could they maintain their dignity?

Everything went smoothly, including the field army's efforts to gather weapons and ammunition from the trenches. That evening, the Russians launched a night attack on Kulun. To break through the field army's defenses, they deployed a full 50,000 soldiers in this night attack. Furthermore, to ensure the suddenness of the attack, the Russians didn't even prepare their artillery fire, instead sending tens of thousands of troops on a surprise attack.

Although the field army had been well prepared, the night greatly affected their visibility. If the Russians had not stepped on a mine, they would have likely been able to sneak up on their positions. Once their presence was exposed, the Russians immediately switched from a surprise attack to a forceful assault. However, they also faced the field army's powerful and intensive firepower, which was enough to inflict a heavy price on the Russians.

Flares launched one after another into the sky, dispelling the darkness and illuminating the night like day. Suddenly, the Russian troops were completely exposed in the bright light of the flares. The white light of the flares even temporarily blinded the Russians. This also provided the best guidance for the field army's mortars and light and heavy machine guns, and a fierce battle began!

The Russian attack ceased only when the sky began to lighten. The Russians attacked fiercely, even breaking through the field army's lines and entering the trenches for hand-to-hand combat, but were ultimately driven back by the field army's fearlessness and revolvers. Under the field army's barrage, the Russians' superior numbers proved ineffective. Their only achievement was the destruction of the field army's first line of defense, which also resulted in considerable casualties.

The next day, Russian negotiators entered Kulun under a white flag to negotiate the collection of the bodies. After discussion at the Military Commission, Zhang Feng and his team agreed to the Russian request and promised that the Russians would send unarmed personnel to dispose of the bodies after each battle. That day, the Russians spent the day collecting the bodies under a white flag.

The field army had no reason to celebrate at this point. Following Zhang Feng's instructions, the soldiers began further renovations to the fortified city of Kulun. This victory was far from enough to turn the tide of the war. It wouldn't be long before Kulun would face a full-scale Russian assault, and that would be the true test.

Existing tunnels were dug deeper, and areas previously thought unnecessary were now being excavated. Practice is the only criterion for testing truth. With the experience gained from this battle, the field army also realized numerous shortcomings and immediately corrected them. The outer positions were further expanded, and the firepower was more structured. Details such as water sources, latrines, and burial sites to prevent the spread of plague were all carefully considered.

Since the first intelligence arrived from the front on July 14th, the Russian General Headquarters had remained remarkably optimistic. However, by noon on July 16th, the atmosphere within the Russian General Headquarters, where the attack on Kulun was underway, was so oppressive that all officers and staff remained silent. From time to time, the distant roar of artillery could be heard, a familiar sound to the officers within the headquarters. It had been a constant sound since the attack on Kulun officially began. The artillery fire of the Kulun defenders also continued, bringing with it endless bad news.

"The 1st Brigade of the 8th Division of the 10th Army suffered heavy casualties and could not continue the attack!" "The 2nd Brigade of the 6th Division of the 12th Army suffered heavy casualties and could not continue the attack!" "The 1st Brigade of the 10th Division of the 16th Army suffered heavy casualties and could not continue the attack!"

The Russians launched fierce attacks—each one failing, each resulting in heavy casualties. Lieutenant General Bolivar could only urge his troops to attack. When the attacks did take place, Russian brigade after brigade was depleted. When word reached the temporary headquarters, Lieutenant General Bolivar erupted in rage at the losses. After he finally assaulted his staff in a fit of rage, no one entered the headquarters without being utterly nervous.

"What the hell is going on? This damn barbed wire fence can actually stop the Russian Empire's army! Why, why on earth?"

Admiral Bolivar roared in a hoarse voice.

The staff paid no attention to the content of Bolivar's rant. Day after day of fierce fighting, despite heavy Russian losses, the Russians hadn't even reached the walls of Kulun. The field army had established one battle line after another, firmly blocking the Russian advance. Barbed wire, pillboxes, trenches, machine gun arrays—the report was filled with these words. The Russians seized the field army's trench positions during the day, and the field army fought desperately to retake them at night.

The field army's machine guns and artillery were described as a plague by the Russian troops on the front lines, inflicting heavy casualties on the Russians in each engagement. Bolívar, having attended military academies several times, surely knew the true power of artillery fire. It's a shame that Bolívar didn't participate in the Russo-Japanese War, nor did he have the time to learn from the lessons learned afterward. Otherwise, he would have understood the power of a combination of machine guns, artillery, and barbed wire.

The scorching July sun quickly drew sweat from Bolivar's forehead, further fueling his anger. He arrived at the Russian field hospital, situated on a large expanse of flat ground behind the advancing troops. The first thing Bolivar saw were the large masses of wounded Russian soldiers. White bandages covering various wounds littered the perimeter of the hospital camp. A quick glance allowed Bolivar to estimate the number of soldiers, at least two to three thousand strong, to be visible. Those crammed among the tents were likely seriously injured, unable to move. The entire camp must have contained at least five thousand wounded. Although the wounded camp was still some distance from the main road, subtle howling echoed in the wind.

With so many wounded soldiers, what kind of situation would the battlefield be like? Bolivar suddenly felt as if he were sinking into an icy cave. Although he had long known that wars could be won or lost, fighting was all about morale. If one had the thought of defeat before the battle, everything would be unsuccessful. Therefore, Bolivar had never considered the possibility of defeat for his field army. He had already deployed all his forces, determined to capture Kulun by relying on numerical superiority.

Judging from the situation before him, the Russian army hadn't engaged in large-scale combat. If not, how could there be so many wounded? Suddenly, a nagging sense of unease, the thought of possible defeat, sent a chill down Bolivar's spine. Even after entering the wounded camp for a long time, Bolivar couldn't shake off this unease.

...

"Based on the current situation, we don't need to be too frugal with our stored food."

Chapter 673: Second update!

After hearing Zhang Feng's opinion, the entire command room suddenly became cheerful. Everyone immediately understood what he meant. The Russian army did seem a bit weak. However, the Qing Dynasty had managed Mongolia for over two hundred years and had achieved many successes, one of which was the integration of mules and horses into China's trade circulation system, which was extremely rare in history.

Therefore, Outer Mongolia maintained a large number of horses during the late Qing Dynasty, exceeding one million, and Inner Mongolia had over two million. The new government in the liberated areas had made a fortune in Shanxi, and the army had no shortage of transportation, so it's no wonder that Kulun and Uliastai had ample reserves of supplies.

The grassland cavalry originally consisted of one person and three horses, and many herdsmen who joined the army even brought their own horses. It was only after the army was expanded that the configuration was reduced to one person and two horses, but logistical transportation has basically been completed with mules and horses.

"We can definitely bring down these hundreds of thousands of Russians."

At this point, after repeatedly retaking positions, the field army's officers and soldiers had a clear understanding of the Russian army's combat effectiveness and were extremely confident of victory in this war. This great victory also relied on this state-of-the-art fortress city and its firepower configuration. Zhang Feng knew that given the combat effectiveness displayed by the Russian army, if they were to fight a field battle on this plateau with exactly the same weapons, the field army might not be able to overwhelm the Russian army. Although the field army was full of fighting spirit, the Russian troops were indeed brave enough, and they were able to fight to the death under the artillery fire. Zhang Feng asked himself if he did not have the spirit to die like this. How foolish must one be to do such a stupid thing?

For the next period of time, the Russian attack remained fierce, and the field army fought tooth and nail. Fierce fighting ensued outside the city of Kulun. The Russian army, with its overwhelming superiority in numbers, could recklessly deploy heavy troops to attack perceived weak points. The field army's advantage lay in its robust and well-prepared fortifications, high morale, and strong patriotism.

On July 20th, the field army's first line of defense was completely destroyed and declared breached. Zhang Feng ordered the entire army to abandon the first line and withdraw to the second line to continue defending. Zhang Yinghao was confident in the field army's defensive capabilities, believing it could essentially hold its own against enemy firepower many times greater than their own. This wasn't to mention the thorns during the Korean War that defied American artillery and bombing to remove. Even earlier, during the October Revolution in the Soviet Union, peasants and laborers who fled or were captured and taken to Russia were particularly exploited by the Tsarist regime. As a result, some advanced elements realized that helping the Russian people completely overthrow the Tsarist regime was the only way to achieve freedom and liberation. Consequently, they became staunch supporters of the Soviet regime and a vital force in the Red Army.

Before the October Revolution, many Chinese workers had participated in revolutionary organizations in Russia. For example, in 1916, a dozen Chinese nationals from the Petrograd Shipyard joined the Red Guards in the attack on the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. The first truly organized Chinese international force was the "Chinese Battalion," established in Pridnestrovye in early 1918. Its founder was a young Chinese man named Sang Fuyang. Sang proposed the establishment of a national battalion to the Second Congress of Soviet Revolutionary Armies. This proposal was approved by the Soviet government, and Lenin specifically instructed support for the formation of a "Chinese International Force."

Sang Fuyang's battalion consisted of just over 100 soldiers and was poorly equipped, yet it fought with unwavering resolve. From its founding meeting, it marched directly to the battlefield, pursuing the well-equipped Germans. The Chinese soldiers, fearless and courageous, covered several kilometers on foot, deep into Germany.

All Chinese volunteers, without exception, cherished their national honor. The weapons of the Chinese international forces were certainly not as sophisticated as those of the regular Red Army, but the miracles they created were no less impressive.

The Bermi International Brigade fought on the Kama River to suppress the White Army's rebellion, single-handedly fighting against an enemy several times their number. Over 150 soldiers fought bravely, each refusing to retreat until they were all killed. Political Commissar Guo Wangqin, captured and unyielding, was brutally dismembered by the White Army. After the war, the Soviet Red Army, with deep reverence, erected a memorial on the Kama River in their honor. The memorial is dedicated to the "cemetery of the soldiers of the International Brigade, the ship 'Ruslo,' and the guerrillas who died defending Soviet power in 1918."

In November 1918, the Chinese Regiment was ordered to relieve the White Army on the Verkhturiya front. Taking advantage of the Chinese Regiment's recent relief and precarious position, the White Army mobilized a massive attack. Without artillery support, the Chinese Regiment repelled the enemy's fierce attacks. The commander of the 29th Division at the time could not help but issue a battlefield directive: "In recent battles in Verkhturiya, the Chinese Regiment has shown exceptional tenacity. Often, the Chinese Regiment has been trapped within an ironclad enemy encirclement. However, thanks to its unyielding spirit, rigorous organization, strong revolutionary discipline, and well-organized command, it has always fought its way through with firepower and bayonets, retreating back into position while fighting. The Chinese soldiers displayed unparalleled courage, bravery, and composure. The more difficult the situation, the stronger their fighting discipline... On behalf of the Russian Soviet Union Socialist Republic, I am honored to express my deepest gratitude to the Chinese Regiment and its command."

The Russians, by now aware of the Field Army's strength, were ecstatic to finally capture one of the Field Army's lines of defense. It's worth noting that capturing this first line of defense had inflicted heavy losses on the Russians. Similarly, the Field Army had suffered thousands of casualties, primarily during the night raids, when Russian forces broke into their positions and engaged in hand-to-hand combat. The Russians, with their larger and stronger physiques, naturally had a far greater advantage over the Field Army in fierce hand-to-hand combat.

At this time, the soldiers of the field army retreated to the second line of defense through the communication trenches, leaving the dilapidated first line of defense positions to the Russian army.

"Commander-in-chief, we can still hold the first line of defense. There will be no problem holding on for two more days." At this time, a comrade raised a question.

"There is no need for that. The first line of defense has been almost destroyed, and there are no secrets left from the Russian army. If we continue to stay there, we will only suffer greater casualties. What's more, we also need to give the Russians some confidence. Otherwise, will they continue to fight?" Zhang Feng had a smile on his face.

Everyone was stunned at first, then burst into laughter. Yes, it was indeed necessary to give the Russians some confidence. If the Russians knew that they had suffered such heavy casualties and still couldn't break through the field army's first line of defense, they would definitely retreat. And now, although they suffered heavy casualties, they had at least broken through the field army's first line of defense. Isn't this a great victory? Although there are still four lines of defense behind, doesn't this give the Russians some hope? Only then will they continue to fight the field army to the death in Kulun.

"Order the artillery to immediately launch a covering bombardment on the first line of defense!" Zhang Feng gave the order as he looked at the cheering Russian army.

"Yes!"

A few minutes later, the field army's artillery, coupled with a large number of mortars, opened fire on the first line of defense. Dense shells fell from the sky and exploded on the first line of defense, sending the Russian soldiers who had finally captured the field army's first line of defense and were cheering directly to see their God.

"Despicable guys! When we break through Kulun City, I will make sure all those yellow monkeys die!" Bolivar roared with anger on his face when he saw this situation.

The Russian army suffered heavy casualties in order to break through the field army's first line of defense. But as Zhang Feng said, this must also give the Russians some hope and let them see the possibility of victory.

Although the Russian army was already somewhat exhausted after days of fierce fighting, Bolivar still ordered a fierce attack. He declared to his generals: The barbed wire had been cleared from the positions, the elite troops of the field army had been eliminated in the first line of defense, and the remaining enemy was just a mob. With just one more effort, they could break through the field army's defenses and capture Kulun.

However, Bolivar seemed to have failed to anticipate that the Russian army's elite had also suffered heavy casualties in the battle to attack the first line of defense. The remaining Russian troops, though still numbering over a hundred thousand, were exhausted, and psychologically, war-weariness had crept in, significantly impacting their combat effectiveness. Sending them to attack would be tantamount to sending them to their deaths. However, under the pressure of the supervisory team, the Russian army was forced to continue the offensive.

The entire city of Kulun has become a meat grinder due to the brutal fighting between the field army and the Russian army.

At this point, Zhang Feng was no longer particularly concerned about the Russian army's problems. What he wanted to do now was to personally verify the power of the new fortress tactics and then record the relevant data for other comrades to learn from. At this moment, Zhang Feng suddenly understood why he was an outlier in the field army.