The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Isn't China's humiliation enough? Isn't the disaster severe enough? Why do the great powers still force it? They are killing people and don't want the Chinese people to live a good life!

The Chinese people were outraged by the imperialist powers' predatory actions. Massive demonstrations erupted in Wuhan, Nanjing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Suzhou, Qingdao, Yantai, and Beijing, among other major cities across the country. In the Beiyang-controlled areas, workers went on strike, students boycotted classes, and merchants closed their shops. In Shanghai alone, hundreds of thousands of people, braving the intimidation of the imperialist powers, took to the streets to denounce their crimes. A nationwide campaign to boycott foreign goods raged, with radicals even burning them. In some corners, lone foreign missionaries were beaten or even killed.

The relentless bullying and oppression by the great powers finally ignited the already simmering nationalist sentiment, causing it to explode. Newspapers of all sizes ran reprints, searching for material to report on foreigners oppressing the Chinese people. This further fueled the Chinese people's xenophobia, and their hatred of the great powers reached its peak.

The grief and indignation needed to be vented through singing. Zhang Yinghao no longer had any scruples and vigorously promoted patriotic songs such as "March of the Chinese Nation", "Chinese Revolutionary Song", "Chinese People", "The Great Wall Will Never Fall", "Unity is Strength", etc. The songs spread throughout China.

Rise up, those who refuse to be slaves, and give our flesh and blood,

Build our new Great Wall,

The Chinese nation has reached its most dangerous moment.

Braving enemy fire,

Go forward, go forward, go forward!

In this era of growing pursuit of freedom, liberation, and fairness, not only at home but also abroad, through newspaper reports and organizations like the Second International, people who had previously been indifferent to China began to pay attention. Proletarians and peace-loving people around the world also protested their own countries' actions, with voices opposing sending troops to China emerging in countries like Britain, France, Germany, and Italy.

As public opinion was growing, Bao Shilin also took action. With the cooperation of various departments, the State Council, after unsuccessful negotiations with the foreign powers, issued a strict ban, strictly prohibiting the free circulation of foreign currency in the liberated areas and prohibiting any foreign capital or banks with foreign capital from conducting business in the liberated areas. At the same time, he had people spread war rhetoric in Shanghai, Nanjing, Qingdao, Tianjin, and other places, claiming that the foreign banks supported the war of aggression against China, transferring bank assets and deposits, and preventing Chinese people from withdrawing money. He also took the lead in publicly withdrawing money secretly deposited in these banks.

Fearing capital flight and bank failures in China, driven by patriotism and fearing the disappearance of their savings, people flocked to the banks. The currency in Shanghai, Tianjin, and other places was the silver dollar. Since it was unsafe to keep money in the banks of the great powers, it was better to keep it at home! Thus, a bank run began, targeting not only the banks of the great powers but also the money houses run by Chinese merchants and compradors.

The more you fear something will happen, the more likely it is to happen. Once a bank run begins, especially after it becomes a trend, no matter how the bank explains, depositors will insist on withdrawing their deposits for fear of losing their money. In wartime, you can only feel truly at ease if you keep your money with you.

People only believe what they see and what they are willing to believe, so a bank run will of course lead to a chain reaction, and this chain reaction will spread viciously. Faced with this situation, no bank or money house will have enough reserves to pay until the last bank or money house collapses.

These included the British-owned HSBC Bank in Shanghai, the Russo-Asiatic Bank, the Sassoon Company, the Mercantile Bank, the Belgian-Belgian Bank, the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank, the Yokohama Specie Bank, the Sino-French Industrial and Commercial Bank, and other banks, as well as money houses operated by the Shaoxing Gang, Ningbo Gang, Suzhou (Dongting Mountain) Gang, Songjiang Gang, Zhejiang Nanxun Gang, Zhenyang Gang, Anhui Gang, and the local (Shanghai) Gang, which were forced to temporarily suspend operations. This was followed by a wave of bad debts. Due to poor business practices, merchants owed banks and money houses huge sums of money that they were unable to repay, resulting in a large number of bad debts. This dealt a fatal blow to banks and money houses, leading to their closure in large numbers, and those that managed to survive were weak and credit-debted. This crisis shocked the world, affecting all sectors of industry and commerce, causing many to be deceived and suffer heavy losses, and thus prematurely triggering a new round of economic crisis.

In a single week, the banking and financial network painstakingly cultivated by the imperialist powers in China for half a century was utterly destroyed. At least tens, if not billions, of European and American capital, as well as hundreds of millions of banknotes issued by the imperialist powers in China, were rendered invalid. Credit is difficult to build, but incredibly easy to destroy. With the financial institutions of the imperialist powers ceasing payments, it took a long time to build up that credit, and now it was all gone in one day. Zhang Yinghao felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction upon hearing this news. However, the liberated areas were not without losses either. Foreign trade was even completely halted at one point. While the enemy suffered a thousand losses, the Chinese suffered eight hundred. Shanghai, the hardest hit city in this operation, was particularly devastated, with all industries now in ruins and the land in ruins.

In fact, it wasn't as if the money houses and banks hadn't tried to save themselves. For example, Xi Ligong, a comprador for HSBC, piled up mountains of silver dollars all over the floor. He even leveraged the immense power and influence of the Dongting Dongshan people to raise tens of millions of taels of silver to tide over the crisis, pretending to allow depositors to exchange them at will. For large withdrawals, he even acted as if withdrawing money was a disrespect to the Suzhou Dongting Dongshan community, which indeed caused many depositors considerable distress. However, these tactics might be effective in isolated bank runs, but they were useless in a widespread, all-out run. People simply wanted their money back, so why would they care about the bank's fate? Did they really lose the butcher and eat the hairy pig? It was a joke; at most, they could just deposit it back later. What was face in the face of personal gain? Furthermore, with Bao Shilin's agents at work, these tactics were naturally ineffective. From the moment the first bank and money house announced a tight money supply and halted exchange services, the devastation inflicted by the great powers on China's banking system was destined to continue.

A week after the ban was imposed in the Liberated Areas, the devastation affected all foreign powers' businesses, banks, and mines in China, wiping out all their assets. Jordan, Lubin, Mummer, Rockefeller, and other members of the diplomatic corps lodged solemn protests with the Liberated Areas government, but they were rejected, arguing that the matter was an internal matter. The Liberated Areas refused to accept any claims or unreasonable demands, and even hinted at seeking compensation from the Beiyang government, which only caused Emperor Yuan to become deeply troubled.

Soon, the Japanese government submitted a protest to the liberated areas through Yasuya Uchida, threatening the liberated areas to immediately restore all industries of the Empire of Japan in China, stop boycotting Japanese goods, and pay a huge compensation of up to 50 million. Otherwise, the Empire of Japan will teach China a lesson. Don't say I didn't warn you.

After all, for other European and American powers, although the losses caused by this turmoil are heavy, it is just heartache. But for Japan, which is now weak and has just caught its breath, this is a fatal thing.

Faced with the threats from the great powers, the situation in China was like a raging fire being poured with fuel, burning even more fiercely. Public opinion intensified, with numerous groups and celebrities protesting against the powers. Patriots were outraged, and anyone concerned about the situation in the Far East was deeply concerned.

By this time, war between China and the great powers was completely inevitable, because the actions of the liberated areas had really moved the cheese of the great powers, causing them to suffer heavy losses, and they naturally wanted to teach the Chinese a lesson. With just one word from these rich people, public opinion for invading China was really sufficient.

The interests of Japan and Britain are consistent. Japan even hopes that Britain will be tougher on the liberated areas and directly go to war with them. At that time, Japan can also join in and launch a full-scale war against the liberated areas. In order to win, the British will definitely support Japan with all their strength. After defeating the People's Liberation Army, Japan can not only complete its expansion in the direction of the mainland, but also plunder and replenish itself, and reap sufficient benefits from China.

On the night of March 25, 1907, a squadron of Japanese troops stationed in Korea, overwhelmed by logistical difficulties, crossed the Yalu River under cover of darkness, preparing to launch a surprise attack on a Chinese border village. The Japanese soldiers, bayonets raised, crouched low, advanced rapidly towards a quiet village.

Trenches were dug in the villages on the front line in Northeast China, and the militia system had been established long ago. Although the militia was not issued with many bullets, they were equipped with good guns such as Japanese Murata rifles or Mosin-Nagant rifles, and they strictly implemented the system of light and dark sentries to ensure that the enemy would not sneak into the camp.

As expected, after the Japanese stabbed the sentry with a dagger, they were immediately spotted by the covert sentry! The sentry immediately fired a shot at the Japanese soldier, using the sound of the gunfire to alert the villagers to the enemy's arrival. By then, the story of Zhao Dahu's killing of the Japanese leader, Dashan Yan, was spreading throughout Northeast China, and the villagers naturally wanted to show off their skills and gain merit.

After the Japanese knew they were exposed, they stopped hiding and immediately launched an attack. Because the Japanese were too close, the militia had no time to organize a defense and could only fight on their own, allowing the Japanese to quickly attack the village.

To buy time for the villagers to evacuate, the militia, leveraging their familiarity with the village, launched surprise attacks. Seeing the militia's stubborn resistance, the Japanese immediately set fire to the houses. Ultimately, the militia was outnumbered and forced to evacuate, with 23 militia members heroically sacrificed.

Although the militia bought the villagers time to flee, the enraged Japanese army immediately launched a pursuit. This was a complete surprise for the remaining militia, forcing them to hastily fight back. Ultimately, they were outnumbered and all died heroically. The ferocious Japanese army continued its rampage, ultimately slaughtering all the villagers, including the elderly, the weak, women, and children, except for a few who were sent to inform the army and a few lucky survivors.

When the army arrived, they found the bodies of women stripped naked and brutally tortured. Their genitals had been slashed open by the brutal Japanese soldiers, their intestines spilling out onto the ground. Many women were even found alive, their last breaths leaving long trails of blood. Several babies had been held aloft with wooden poles pierced through their genitals. Several children had their heads chopped off by the Japanese soldiers, their eyes wide open, their faces etched in death...

The soldiers' eyes instantly turned red as they witnessed this horrific scene, their stomachs churning. Even though they had experienced fighting bandits, landlords, and even the Russo-Japanese War, they still felt extremely unwell. The villagers who had returned with the soldiers were even more unbearable. They immediately fell to their knees, vomiting violently, weeping and stumbling, shouting and searching for their families.

Besides dispatching troops in pursuit, the soldiers immediately began quietly collecting the bodies, preparing to bury them. The propaganda officer immediately set up a camera to take pictures. The flash of the spotlight captured the Japanese army's crimes in a frozen moment...

The Japanese squadron beasts who were happily carrying their spoils back at this time might never have dreamed that their secret actions would cause such great losses to Japan, and that it would become the fuse for another war between China and Japan.

Zhang Yinghao was furious when he heard the news of the Japanese massacre. However, he also knew that the Sino-Korean border was too long, which was one of the reasons why he had to invade North Korea. It was impossible for the People's Liberation Army to completely defend it now.

However, the same is true for Japan. Can the Japanese completely defend the border? It’s just that the Chinese have always been gentle and have never thought of invading, looting, or massacring others.

Zhang Yinghao knew what kind of country Japan was and what kind of beasts the Japanese were. He immediately had the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodge a solemn protest with Uchida Yasuya and had the Propaganda Department publicize the Japanese army's atrocities. At a time of national awakening and anti-foreign sentiment, the outrage of the nation was reignited. All Japanese goods were unsold, and the workers in Japanese factories, with the exception of a few traitors who had accepted the enemy as their father, went on strike and left. Even the other members of the diplomatic corps from the great powers, whether sincerely or not, condemned the Japanese army's crimes and expressed strong indignation.

Although Uchida Yasuya secretly cursed "bastards" and "army horse shit", he would never admit it openly. He even claimed that this was a slander against the Empire of Japan and that the Japanese army was a civilized army that would never do such a thing. His tone was full of arrogance, as if what he said was really the truth.

Of course, Zhang Yinghao didn't care what the devil Uchida Yasuya's reaction was, but sent a telegram to the Northeast with just two words: Attack when you are ready, don't dither!

Chapter 727: First update!

Zhang Feng and Liu Wenxiu had already reached the Fengcheng front. For once, Zhang Feng had truly experienced the convenience of rail transport. Such a vast distance, such a large number of troops, and such a vast amount of supplies were effortlessly transported thousands of kilometers by rail. Zhang Feng now fully understood why Chairman Zhang Yinghao had worked so hard to build the railway. Sometimes, opening a railway a day earlier or later could have completely different consequences.

"If we hadn't obtained a large amount of money and supplies in Shanxi, especially the rubber-wheeled carts to transport them, winning the battle of Kulun would have been much more difficult. It's no wonder that the princes and nobles of Outer Mongolia became somewhat disloyal after the Russians built the railway. The railway really brought too much convenience."

"Yes, the convenience brought by the railway is really huge. Our railway has been built to the border, and our troops only need to push forward dozens or even hundreds of kilometers with ease. If there were no railway, relying on walking or horse pulling, how would we be able to transport those heavy weapons to the border?"

Facing his Mongolian comrades, Liu Wenxiu also sighed! Without the railway, how could the Northeast complete war preparations so quickly? How could troops be mobilized so quickly?

Zhang Feng agreed, stating that rail and water transport could exponentially increase the army's combat effectiveness. When the troops first marched out of Sichuan and into Shaanxi, despite their high morale, they still encountered numerous difficulties. They traveled hundreds of miles, fell behind, sprained their ankles, and other unexpected events severely impacted the army's combat effectiveness.

Now that we have trains, soldiers only need to sit on them. No matter how many people set out, the same number of people will arrive at the destination. The impact on combat effectiveness is minimal. Who would have dared to imagine such a thing before?

"Has the Chairman approved our battle plan?"

"It has been approved. The Chairman's reply is: It is better to have separate enemies than to have a common enemy, and it is better to have a yin enemy than to have an yang enemy!"

"I thought so too. I didn't expect that our ancestors' strategies and tactics are still relevant today."

At this time, a wide variety of trenches, communication trenches, underground command posts, artillery observation posts, light and dark bunkers, barbed wire fences, light and dark sentries, anti-artillery holes, soldier hiding holes and other fortifications were set up on the Yalu River and the west bank of the Tumen River, and various transportation routes, passes and high ground in Changbai Mountain. The purpose was to strictly guard against the Japanese army.

However, in order to prevent the war from spreading to the Northeast and causing the land to fall into dire straits, this battle was not a defensive one, but an offensive one.

Zhang Yinghao had never commanded a large-scale offensive involving tens of millions of troops. However, he knew the principles of such a battle: it was better to divide the enemy than to attack them together, and it was better to attack them in the dark than in the strong.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao was quite satisfied with the attack plan from Liu Wenxiu and others. Generally speaking, it was arranged according to this principle.

Zhang Yinghao still remembers the crazy offensive organized by Brusilov, commander of the Tsarist Russia's Southwestern Front, in the summer of 1916. He launched a large-scale offensive on a 500-kilometer front, which was almost completely unexpected by the enemy and achieved breakthroughs in two places.

In three months, at the cost of 50 casualties, Tsarist Russia annihilated 110 million Austrian troops, completely crippling Austria-Hungary and nearly forcing the Austro-Hungarian Empire to withdraw from the war. It also nearly destroyed Silesia, annihilated 30 German troops, and pushed the front line forward by more than 100 kilometers, nearly bringing down the three major empires of Germany, Austria, and Russia simultaneously.

The battle report looked particularly unreal, which was enough to prove the magic of the old marshal and how powerful the new tactics he created were, which focused on one point and broke through multiple points at the same time, making it difficult for the enemy's reserve troops to maneuver in the main direction.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao believed that senior PLA officers must master tactics like the "Brusilov Breakthrough," and must practice large-scale, deep, and flanking operations. Zhang Yinghao presented them with numerous hypothetical cases and even sent lecturers with detailed courseware to Northeast China several times to teach senior officers like Liu Wenxiu, encouraging them to consciously hone these skills.

While military academies can churn out junior officers like squad leaders, platoon leaders, company commanders, and even battalion commanders, mid- and high-ranking officers are truly unsuitable for the job without a certain level of talent. This is fine in peacetime, but once war breaks out, it's a serious matter. These officers must be adaptable and constantly analyze and handle problems realistically in the fog of war. Without talent, relying on rote memorization is a surefire way to make serious mistakes.

Liu Wenxiu, a former special forces soldier, had never had the opportunity to personally attend Chairman Zhang Yinghao's senior officer training course. He only attended Zhang Yinghao's lectures during special forces training. Now a senior officer in his own right, Liu Wenxiu had access to the courseware for the lectures given by the lecturers assigned to Northeast China. He attended the lectures whenever he had time, asked the lecturers questions, and even sent telegrams to Zhang Yinghao. He tapped the plan on the desk, and a remark from one of the lecturers in Northeast China came to his mind:

"The Chairman said that large-scale, deep-depth operations are about destroying the enemy through a series of continuous campaigns. The essence of the theory of continuous campaigns is to consider and prepare for the next campaign while the first one is being carried out, so as to prevent supply interruptions and transportation blockages, achieve continuity of combat operations, and deny the enemy time to change their deployments and organize their battles..."

This tactic not only requires concentrating forces to attack the enemy's frontal positions, but also seeks to strike at the enemy's flanks and depth. It changes the traditional method of slowly and methodically conquering the enemy's defensive positions one by one, and instead adopts a combat style that simultaneously suppresses the enemy's entire defensive depth and implements effective and rapid troop maneuvers.

Use artillery firepower and aviation assault forces to simultaneously suppress the entire depth of the enemy's defense; concentrate troops and weapons in the selected direction, resolutely launch the attack, break through the enemy's tactical defense, and use powerful fast-moving troops such as tanks, motorized infantry and cavalry to engage in battle. With their courage and bold tactics, quickly break through the enemy's defenses and expand the results of the battle, so as to achieve the predetermined combat objectives as soon as possible..."

Liu Wenxiu felt that this theory was too general and difficult to apply. However, science is science, and it is a correct theory that cannot be changed by human will.

However, Liu Wenxiu still enjoyed reading Zhang Yinghao's detailed accounts of large-scale battles. One passage, in particular, was particularly memorable: "The most difficult things in the world must be done from the easy; the most important things in the world must be done from the details." For battles involving millions of soldiers, the odds of success are like a snowball, with small victories accumulating into a grand victory, ultimately securing the final victory.

Therefore, before the war, on a front line of hundreds or even thousands of miles, who could grasp all the situations? Who could know where the enemy's weaknesses were? Where was the key point for a breakthrough? Perhaps a hilltop or a narrow pass could become a breakthrough point, forming a domino effect in an inconspicuous place at ordinary times, and determining the final victory of the battle.

Therefore, at the beginning of a battle, while the main force is holding the enemy back, other units should boldly and swiftly penetrate the enemy's positions, employing tactics such as frontal breakthroughs, interspersed maneuvers, and splitting and encircling to annihilate. Rapid maneuvering should be used to quickly break through established enemy positions... Attack from the flanks or even the rear, outflanking the enemy and establishing a localized superiority of forces with the goal of destroying the enemy's vital forces. Eliminating one part of the enemy frees up more mobile forces, gaining greater advantages, which in turn leads to the elimination of more enemies, forming a virtuous cycle... Interspersed units can also attack the enemy's rear, reserves, reinforcements, and logistical supply points, throwing the enemy into disarray, unable to coordinate their efforts, and succumbing to a dilemma...

These articles about war in "Zhang Yinghao's Thoughts" are summarized by Zhang Yinghao based on classic cases such as the three major battles in his previous life, the Battle of Crossing the Yangtze River, and the Third Battle of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. They are enough for comrades to study for decades.

Liu Wenxiu had been in Northeast China for several years, and had seen constant combat, but he knew his tactical skills were still far behind Zhang Yinghao's descriptions of the war. He was still a little unsure about the Korean War, but now that he had heard Chairman Zhang Yinghao's approval, he felt relieved.

Just as Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Feng were marking the Japanese troops on the other side of the more than 1,400-kilometer border between China and North Korea based on intelligence and discussing how to act.

The telegraph operator immediately reported: "Commander Liu, a telegram from the Chairman."

Hearing the word "Chairman," Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Feng quickly straightened up, took the telegram and began to read it. After just a glance, Liu Wenxiu handed the telegram to Zhang Feng.

Zhang Feng only took one look and said, "It seems that the Japanese's brutal massacre has completely angered the Chairman."

"Yes, I was furious when I heard the news. The Japanese are worse than animals."

In reality, Liu Wenxiu and the others had guessed wrong. Zhang Yinghao knew the true nature of the Japanese invaders, and he only felt a surge of anger and self-blame when he saw the telegram. But there were so many tragedies in this era that if he had been angry about everything, Zhang Yinghao would have lived in anger every day.

Besides creating a buffer zone for Northeast China's security and preemptively attacking Japan, Zhang Yinghao had another reason to attack. Just as Japan chose to launch the war against Russia before the Trans-Siberian Railway was nearly completed, the PLA also had to launch the war before the railway reached Sinuiju; otherwise, the scale of the war would become much more difficult.

This isn't the time after 1949. Although China was impoverished in 1949, it still had numerous railways and roads. The Korean War relied heavily on these railways, and despite frequent bombings, it's undeniable that the railway running through North Korea was a lifeline. While the Sinuiju-Busan railway is progressing much slower than in previous eras, it's almost ready to open. The PLA must resolve the Japanese threat to Northeast China before it's fully operational. Otherwise, facing such a hostile neighbor, the people of Northeast China will be left in limbo.

"Now that the Chairman's order has arrived, let's act according to the plan."

"According to my watch, the time is now 8:25. The attack will start at 10 o'clock sharp. Are the engineers ready to build the pontoon bridge?"

"Everything is ready. We will first quickly build eight temporary, simple floating bridges across the Yalu and Tumen rivers. We will then build four more floating bridges that can accommodate heavy weapons and large vehicles."

……-

The order to fight was issued, and the airship troops were put to use again. They had originally planned to use the airships to try out their skills when liberating Chita, but they did not expect that the Russian army and revolutionaries in the city would kill each other, and the airships were not used in the end. Later, the airships were used when liberating Verkhnytsia. It can be said that the effect was very good and it deterred the local people.

Current airships use hydrogen, making them extremely dangerous. However, since they intend to test new tactics, it's natural to use flying tools. Under Zhang Yinghao's guidance, the Jiefang District's airships are unprecedentedly constructed of aluminum alloy, significantly reducing their weight and increasing their payload capacity. This is one reason why the Jiefang District is so fond of using airships to transport supplies to remote areas. Especially in places like Xinjiang, airship transportation can greatly alleviate logistical pressures.

At this time, the airships were methodically loading their aerial bombs. Each airship was loaded with at least 500 kilograms of incendiary or high-explosive bombs, ready to bomb Japanese barracks and artillery positions. Of course, the more valuable arsenals were also among the airships' targets. Two light machine guns, each with 2,000 rounds of ammunition, were also kept ready for emergencies.

At 9:30, the first batch of 18 airships, each of varying weights and sizes, completed their final tests, started their engines, and deployed their cables. The fleet formed into a long, serpentine formation and, under the gaze of everyone's anticipation and concern, slowly flew toward North Korea. The airships were divided into two groups to give the Japanese a taste of the relentless bombing. Two small fighter planes escorted the airships from a distance, wary of any Japanese aircraft that might cause irreparable damage to the fleet. If the hydrogen inside the airships ignited, they would instantly transform into a giant fireball, with no chance of survival for the soldiers inside, who would surely perish.

This bombing operation was an operation that would change the paradigm of warfare and alter the history of world war. While this airship unit hadn't experienced much combat, it had carried out numerous disaster relief and supply transport missions. So, despite some concerns, the soldiers remained confident they could successfully complete the bombing mission.

18 airships loaded with bombs flew at an average speed of about 38 kilometers per hour. In order to avoid the Japanese army's rifle fire hitting the airships and causing combustion and explosion, the airships flew at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters to ensure safety.

When the airship troops were about to approach the Yalu River, they needed the cooperation of the artillery units on the ground. After receiving the order, the artillery immediately launched an artillery bombardment on the Japanese troops on the other side of the Yalu River. This was to lure the snake out of its hole. Faced with the artillery bombardment, the Japanese naturally responded to the artillery bombardment.

After the airship arrived, the command boat immediately compared the Japanese army's reaction actions with the known intelligence, and then commanded other airships to bomb the designated targets through flag signals.

A group of airships flew over the Japanese army, leaving them stunned and completely dumbfounded. The Japanese army still had some knowledge and knew that these were some aircraft, but they could never have imagined that the Chinese would actually use aircraft to drop bombs on them from the sky. This was completely beyond the imagination of that era. The Korean army, on the other hand, knew nothing about it. When they saw these things flying in the sky, they thought they were Chinese dragons and immediately knelt down.

Soon, the spectacular display of the airship laying eggs began. At this point, the soldiers on the front lines were of no importance. The PLA's artillery fire had drawn out all the Japanese artillery, leaving numerous shells on the ground. The airship flew over, stabilized slightly, estimated the distance, and immediately pulled the trigger on the grenade launcher. The bombs, suspended beneath the airship, immediately detached from the craft, flying forward by inertia and, aided by the stabilizer fins, plummeting towards the ground.

"Eggs are laid! Eggs are laid! The dragon has laid eggs."

The North Korean army had no idea what was going on. Seeing something falling from the sky, they thought it was the Chinese dragon laying eggs. They shouted or immediately knelt and kowtowed.

The Japanese army hadn't reacted yet. Although they felt strange and even had a bad premonition, no one would have thought that someone would actually drop a bomb over their heads. This was completely against the will of heaven. Such a thing was really unthinkable. If this was the case, the enemy would be completely out of reach. How could this war be fought?

An incendiary bomb landed in the military camp and exploded. With a loud "bang," the napalm inside ignited, scattering in all directions. A small mushroom cloud rose up throughout the camp, and the camp was instantly ablaze, with thick smoke billowing and flames shooting into the sky. Many Japanese soldiers who didn't have time to escape were killed or injured before they could react. Even those who managed to escape were killed or injured by the blast. Even if they did manage to escape, their clothes would catch fire and their bodies would be engulfed in flames. However, no matter how they rolled around or how they screamed, they could not escape the fate of being burned to death, and could only helplessly let out shrill screams...

A high-explosive bomb landed in the middle of the artillery position, and the violent explosion startled all the artillerymen, and scattered shrapnel harvested their lives. Another bomb landed among the piles of artillery shells, instantly causing the shells to detonate, and the surrounding Japanese soldiers were completely destroyed...

A high-explosive bomb, by sheer luck, penetrated the roof of a warehouse, setting off a chain reaction throughout the arsenal, destroying the entire contents—gunpowder, bullets, shells, mines, and firearms—into a blaze of smoke. The warehouse had been located in a very safe area. Who could have imagined that the enemy would attack from the sky, not the ground? While only one arsenal was destroyed, it was an unbearable loss for Japan, which was now in dire straits.

The bombs dropped one after another, sending both the Japanese and Korean troops fleeing in panic. Japan had no concept of defense and was completely helpless in the face of an attack from the sky.

Seeing the enemy below, the soldiers on the airship immediately pulled the trigger of the machine gun, firing at wherever there were more people. Just as this group of airships finished shooting and left for a while, the next group of airships flew over their heads.

Facing an unprepared enemy, this bombing achieved incredible results. More than 4,000 Japanese and North Korean soldiers were directly killed by explosions, burned to death, or killed by bullets. Some were even left with no trace, which was a horrific sight.

In fact, the number of casualties was not particularly large, and such casualties were not the most serious. The most serious was the blow to the morale of the Japanese army caused by the airships. The Japanese army was completely in a passive state of being beaten, and they could only be beaten and could not fight back. Who would not feel aggrieved and helpless? Even the most courageous people would feel despair! After four rounds of bombing, most of the soldiers had lost their fighting spirit.

Not only were the airships bombing, but artillery on the other side of the Yalu River was also firing continuously. Some infantrymen kept firing to suppress the Japanese firepower, while others paddled small boats and quickly sailed to the other side, seizing the beachhead and establishing positions. The engineers immediately began to build a simple pontoon bridge. They used small boats with iron chains tied to them, connected several more small boats in the middle, and fixed the two banks. The soldiers laid wooden planks on the bridge, and a pontoon bridge for the infantry was built in just twenty minutes.

Then, the engineers constructed the bridge piers from clusters of logs 30 to 50 centimeters in diameter, and the bridge deck from large, squared-off timbers. To increase stability, stones were piled beneath the piers for reinforcement. In just two hours, a sturdy floating bridge spanning the Yalu River was completed.

The successful construction of the pontoon bridge means that it is almost certain that this battle will be able to open up a buffer zone for the Northeast in North Korea. However, the size of this buffer zone will depend on the results of the subsequent battles.

This time, the Japanese army truly experienced an absolute crushing defeat. Although air supremacy was limited to airships, it was completely in the hands of the PLA. Artillery units perished before they could even begin the battle, with numerous shells exploding and killing artillerymen. Even a heavily besieged arsenal was blown up, resulting in heavy losses.

From the moment aerial bombing was introduced, the very nature of warfare would be radically altered. No longer would there be a definitive front line or rear area, no longer would there be absolute security. Faced with the unfamiliarity of aerial attack, Japanese generals were helpless. Without deep, echeloned defenses, Japan's thin defenses, seemingly impregnable, were in fact vulnerable to a single poke.

An upgraded version of the "Brusilov Breakthrough" involved coordinated attacks from all branches of the military, focusing on a single point, simultaneously breaking through multiple points, dividing and encircling the enemy, and continuously destroying the enemy in the process. Liu Wenxiu and his men were actually far behind the PLA they led. Their cultural level alone was not something one could easily achieve.

Although the PLA had its weaknesses, the enemy was even weaker. The barbed wire was easily destroyed by the blasting tubes currently used by the PLA. As the barrage of bullets slowly advanced, the various troops advanced rapidly.

The first to encounter problems in the Japanese defenses were the Korean troops, who had been terrified by the bombing of the airships. Hearing the tragic cries of their compatriots, they no longer had any desire to fight. Facing the PLA's attack, they had no desire to fight for the Japanese army.

Some superstitious North Korean soldiers even believed that China had sent a divine dragon to punish North Korea. How could mortals be able to resist a divine being? Otherwise, why couldn't even water put out the fire?

Faced with an attack from China, the Celestial Empire, the Koreans' fear was magnified countless times, leaving them with a sense of dread and helplessness, as if they were offending the gods. When some older men described this as a battle against the gods, the Korean army completely collapsed. They collapsed. Even the Japanese officers' strenuous efforts to suppress the rebellion were futile. They completely lost the courage to fight the PLA. They dropped their weapons, abandoned the worried Japanese officers, and fled without looking back.

Although these North Korean troops are guarding some seemingly unimportant positions, it is undeniable that these places are also part of the entire defense line.

The PLA quickly occupied these locations and pursued the North Korean troops. No one knew the holes in the Japanese defenses better than these North Korean soldiers. Thousands of North Korean soldiers, having discarded their weapons, rushed forward, actively searching for holes in the defenses like a sieve, disrupting the Japanese defenses and breaking through them.

The PLA's massive advance brought fear and even greater chaos to the North Korean army. To stabilize their position and prevent a complete collapse, the Japanese opened fire on the fleeing North Korean troops. However, in the eyes of the North Korean army, retreating offered a glimmer of hope, while charging forward would result in certain death and damnation.

Faced with the Japanese shooting, the Korean army developed a strong hatred for the Japanese, causing more Korean soldiers to flee. Some Korean soldiers who still had weapons immediately retaliated, forcing the Japanese to increase their firepower and continue their offensive. The two sides fought back and forth, and the fighting was very lively.

In the rear, a Korean army division mutinied upon hearing the news. They killed their Japanese instructors and supervisors and began to flee. Of course, the Japanese troops behind them would stop them, and they would face a series of battles. The final outcome was unknown: whether they would escape or be massacred.

The PLA had previously sent troops into North Korea during the war against Japan, but that was to buy time for the PLA, leaving northern Korea a scorched earth. This time, the PLA's invasion of North Korea was intended to transform it into a buffer zone and base against the Japanese, thus also protecting various Japanese structures in Korea.

Whether to destroy or protect is entirely up to China's own interests and has nothing to do with the North Koreans. However, while it is necessary to protect North Korea's existing infrastructure, it cannot be shown in the slightest during an attack. This actually helps protect these infrastructure, which is really contradictory.

All PLA soldiers learn about warfare during their initial military training. Victory in war hinges on being more violent and destructive. Killing every enemy on sight and destroying any buildings that might harbor them is the best way to protect yourself.

When Japan learned that the People's Liberation Army was attacking North Korea, it was really surprised and unbelievable. Now the great powers were preparing to jointly invade China, and the Chinese actually chose to take the initiative to attack. Could it be that the People's Liberation Army already had the strength to launch an expedition? If so, it would be too terrible.

Japan's reaction was also quite fast. It immediately ordered General Kuroki Tamemasa to defend the city strictly. At the same time, it ordered the warships to leave the port and the troop transport ships to urgently transport the soldiers to land in Busan and take the train to the front line. At the same time, the news of the PLA's attack on Korea was reported to the diplomatic corps of the great powers. When Jordan heard that the PLA had attacked Korea, he was also incredible. He did not expect that the Chinese would march into Korea just because a village was massacred. This is completely inconsistent with the Chinese style of doing things. Shouldn't they consult with the great powers on how to solve the problem? Shouldn't they apologize and pay compensation at most? Why did they take the initiative to attack Korea?