The sun never sets

Even the commander-in-chief of the Eight-Nation Alliance could not command the armies of other countries. Any orders had to be issued through the generals of various countries. It would take a lot of time just to translate the language. If the Jin Dynasty was not so weak, the loose organizational structure of the Eight-Nation Alliance would never have allowed them to attack Beijing.

At least it is impossible to use four

Tens of thousands of people captured Beijing.

Waldersee was annoyed by the "buzzing" noise around him. When he looked up and saw the stripped-out railway, he cursed again: "Damn Chinese!"

On that day, the coalition army only advanced less than 10 kilometers. There were also reports of so many Tatar cavalry and mobs appearing around. Waldersee was annoyed and asked the British and French troops to deal with it on their own, and said that if they did not find more than a thousand Boxers, they should not report to him.

The march the next day was much easier. Waldersee's headquarters advanced 25 miles in one day, more than twice as much as yesterday. This was good news, but there was also bad news. There were more and more Chinese and Tatars around. Those guys had no moral integrity and used shameless means, such as laying mines or shooting from the dark. They also did not allow people to sleep at night, and gunfire broke out outside several camps. However, it was not a big problem. The camps were defended and the soldiers rested well, but they were a little more tired than yesterday.

Alfred von Waldersee had a good sleep and was in a good mood when he woke up, but soon he learned the bad news that the Japanese Fifth Division was almost annihilated. Although he looked down on the Japanese army, the destruction of the Fifth Division still shocked Waldersee. He blurted out, "How many Boxers are there?"

No one could tell him, not even Lin Yongchang.

"No matter how many people there are, they are no match for us!"

Waldersee shouted: "Let's keep going!"

So the Eight-Nation Alliance continued to move forward with the large amount of money and treasures they looted. They followed the stripped railway line, passed through desolate and dilapidated villages and towns, until they were blocked by a long trench. No, it was not one, but a long trench. The trenches were connected by communication trenches, and there were anti-artillery holes, machine gun positions and artillery positions, as well as warehouses, toilets, canteens, and bedrooms. Although they were very simple, they had everything they needed. Lin Yongchang dug trenches according to the standards of the First World War.

The rebels had few guns and cannons, but they had plenty of shovels and diggers. Chinese peasants were good at digging holes and repairing the earth.

"boom!"

The Cossack officers on horseback fell down. Two machine guns were pushed out and fired wildly at the coalition troops in the marching column. Leading the way were the Russians, who were called the Tsar's gray beasts. They had poor military discipline, but were extremely brave. After being caught off guard, they shouted "Ura" and rushed forward.

Chapter 108: Battle

Suvorov said: Bayonets are heroes, bullets are fools, and cannons give courage.

A large number of generals in the Russian army believed in this. In normal training - if there was any - and in battle, when they encountered the enemy, they would bravely rush forward and solve the problem with bayonets. This was the experience summed up by countless people with blood, which was very useful and simple in the era of line shooting.

But times have changed.

The Russian soldiers who charged in dense numbers were shot like sieves. Before they could reach the distance for hand-to-hand combat, they all fell on the road. After the battle started here, gunshots and artillery fire were heard in other places. There were exchanges of fire everywhere on the battle line that was more than ten miles long. Lin Yongchang still used the old tricks, digging trenches and waiting for the enemy to rush in.

It's no wonder that this trick really worked. The Russian army rushed in head-on. After only one hour of fighting, the Russian army lost thousands of people and had to retreat temporarily. Lin Yongchang was not in a hurry to counterattack. The Eight-Nation Alliance was now short of supplies. Bullets and shells were running out, and the soldiers could not be replenished. He first wore down the foreign devils' spirit.

In order to deal with the Eight-Nation Alliance in North China, Lin Yongchang mobilized 200,000 soldiers and even more civilians. Although his firepower was still inferior to that of the foreigners, he had an absolute advantage in terms of manpower, even after he stationed tens of thousands of people on the banks of the Yellow River to guard against Yuan Shikai.

On the system's small map, the deployment of the warring parties was clear, and even the morale could be seen. Compared to the attack on Beijing, the morale of the Eight-Nation Alliance had dropped a lot. Lin Yongchang looked at the position of Alfred von Waldersee on the small map and couldn't help but ponder. Should we have a decapitation operation?

Although the headquarters of the Eight-Nation Alliance was under the protection of a large army, and although Waldersee was protected by a battalion of German troops, as long as the order was given, there was still a chance. Even if there was no chance now, after the battle, the Eight-Nation Alliance would definitely reveal flaws in the process of mobilizing troops.

Here, Lin Yongchang was leisurely deploying his troops, preparing to wipe out the Eight-Nation Alliance in North China. Over there, Alfred von Waldersee immediately put his chips on the line after receiving the news of being blocked. "Defeat them, crush them, and then trample them to death! Let them know what a truly powerful army is!"

Having said that, the Marshal glanced at the Russians a few more times, intentionally or unintentionally.

A Russian general couldn't help but say: "That's because there is no artillery support!"

"In this case, why not wait until the cannons are delivered before attacking?"

Someone loudly asked, "Gentlemen, why can't we go around it?"

"Where can we go around?"

"Lieutenant Harker has gone to investigate, and other places are also full of mobs."

"There are too many of them!"

"Instead of taking a detour, it is better to wipe out all the Chinese right here!"

"That's right! That's how it should be!"

Alfred von Waldersee made a decision, "When the artillery arrives, we will launch a general attack! We will destroy them in battle!"

Most of these people have a deep-rooted "white supremacy" concept. Even if they suffered some losses, the generals still have a superior mentality. Tianjin was lost, what does it have to do with us white people? It's all the fault of the Japanese!

Since everyone from top to bottom held this mentality, the matter was settled. Morrison, the one who said he wanted to "go around it", was a reporter for the British "Times". He was an Australian and did not know how to fight, but he always felt that things would not be as easy as the generals imagined.

"There's nothing to worry about. The barbarians will only tremble in fear in front of artillery!"

A few British officers smiled and said a few words, then invited Morrison to their tent to enjoy coffee. Who could refuse coffee thousands of miles away? Morrison had no reason to refuse, so he put aside his worries.

At about 3:00 p.m., the artillery units were deployed and immediately bombarded the trenches outside the village. Some of the artillery entered the village and collapsed the ruined houses. The Russian army launched the attack again this time. The gray animals deployed battle formations on the plains and trampled the few remaining wheat in the fields into the mud.

Russian generals don't care much about the lives of their soldiers, and the same is true for generals in other countries.

The artillery bombarded the village for half an hour, and then it was the gray animal's turn. The Russian soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder in a long battle line. The Russian army was divided into several rows, with a distance of 10 to 20 meters between the two battle lines. Everyone had a bayonet on his rifle, and his face was full of panic and tension.

The military priest raised the cross hanging around his neck and blessed the warriors loudly.

The officer who was kneeling on the ground stood up and drew his sword, "Forward!"

This sentence was like a spell. Many Russian soldiers shuddered, then took a few quick steps to catch up with their companions. Some artillerymen pushed their cannons forward, ready to fire at a closer distance. Infantry-artillery coordination is a technical job. No one in the world can do it well, and there is no need for it.

Soon, the sound of gunfire rang out again. From time to time, people in the Russian army marching forward were shot and fell, and the ones behind them hurried forward to fill their positions. This tactic seems stupid, but the Europeans relied on this ridiculous tactic to divide the world.

As casualties mounted, the Russians became more nervous and sped up, from a short march to a long stride, and then to a jog. Finally, someone shouted, "Hurrah!"

“Hurrah!” “Hurrah!”

"Ula!"

"Ula!"

The line infantry had long been tortured by fear and were almost going crazy. At this time, they all shouted wildly and rushed forward in a swarm. Some soldiers began to stop and shoot, while more people, under the influence of adrenaline, burst out with more strength than usual.

Then, the sound of heavy machine gun fire rang out.

"Da da da da", "Da da da", in the sound of machine gun shooting, Russian soldiers fell in the field like wheat, and their blood dyed the remaining wheat ears red. The Maxim machine gun had a firing rate of 600 rounds per minute, and the Green gun had a slower firing rate, but it also reached 200 rounds per minute. In front of these killing weapons, the human body was too fragile.

The coalition's machine guns and artillery were also firing non-stop, causing considerable damage to the rebels, but the Russians suffered even greater casualties. An entire infantry battalion that fell into the fire net was quickly wiped out. Such heavy casualties were something the coalition generals had not expected. Alfred von Waldersee said, "How about..."

The Russian general suddenly shouted: "According to the plan, send the Second Infantry Regiment!"

Chapter 109: Continue the Charge

Russian generals were not afraid of death. Soldiers were called gray animals and they didn't care if they died. In the vast countryside, there were many poor young men. So after being beaten and bleeding on the machine gun position, the Russian general immediately chose to double up.

However, before the attack, a few rounds of artillery fire were still needed to give the soldiers courage.

This time, the artillery preparation time was ten minutes shorter. After the shelling ended, the Russian soldiers in gray uniforms shouted and rushed forward. It was still the familiar formula, the familiar taste, and the Maxim heavy machine guns and Green rapid-fire cannons were launched on the battlefield, ruthlessly harvesting the lives of the Russian soldiers.

After discovering the defenders' machine guns, some soldiers lay on the ground and fired at the machine guns, but their shots were blocked by their shields. The field artillery and heavy machine guns that accompanied the infantry also joined in, firing at the machine gun positions. After missing several rounds, one shell finally hit the target, blowing the machine gun and the shooter into pieces.

"Ula!"

“Hurrah!” “Hurrah!”

The machine gun fire point in front of them was eliminated. The Russian soldiers lying on the ground jumped up and joined the charge. Suddenly, the wind blew, causing the shells to fall into the Russian army. The air waves rolled and the shrapnel from the explosion swept everywhere. Several Russian soldiers fell on the spot, and it was unknown whether they were dead or stunned. In the distance, several soldiers were hit by shrapnel and were wailing while covering their wounds.

"Damn the artillery!"

"Your eyes are on your butt?"

Some Russian soldiers thought

The previous round of shelling was caused by our own operational errors, which is very common on the battlefield. It is said that in the era of line shooting, the probability of a soldier in the fourth row killing a friendly soldier was three times higher than the probability of hitting several people. The Russian army is notoriously lax and undisciplined, and it is not the first time that they have been shelled by their own people.

But soon, a second round of artillery fire came from deep inside the village, and the sharp-eyed soldiers shouted, "It's the enemy's artillery!"

The main target of the Rebel artillery fire was not the Russian infantry, but the artillery groups that followed the infantry. However, perhaps because the skills of the Rebel artillery were not strong enough, they failed to destroy any Russian artillery group after firing several rounds, but they also forced the Russian artillery to not move forward so much.

"boom!"

"Da da da da da!"

"Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!"

The Russian army seemed to have an endless force. When the regiment in front was destroyed, the regiments behind would follow. This method of using manpower to counter firepower was a dead end. The tactical thinking of the great powers was still stuck in the Napoleonic era. Either infantry charge, or send cavalry, or bombard him a few more rounds. One of them was always appropriate.

What if none of them are suitable? Then try a few more rounds, and there will always be a suitable time.

Whether it was the German army or the Russian army, their combat concept was still to fight large-scale battles, and their tactical thinking seriously lagged behind the performance of weapons. In another time and space, even though the Japanese army was slaughtered by machine guns under the city of Port Arthur, the Europeans still did not give up their horizontal-column tactics. It was not until the Battle of the Marne that the British and French forces suffered 6 casualties in one day, that those stubborn conservatives finally changed their ideas.

According to Alfred von Waldersee's idea, he wanted to send troops to flank the enemy when attacking directly, but both the left and right wings were resisted. The French army on the left said that they had captured a village, but were blocked by the river and needed engineers to help build a bridge.

So Waldersee sent a company of engineers over there.

The British troops on the right wing also encountered trouble. The Boxers had become more cunning and no longer rushed forward as they had done before. Instead, they hid and shot from behind. In order to clear out the Boxers hiding in ditches, woods, villages and towns, and anywhere else, the British troops advanced very slowly.

Alfred von Waldersee added an infantry battalion to the right wing to get the British to move faster.

Then, the cannonballs fired by the rebels fell into the ranks of the Russian army. The cannonballs exploded on the ground, splashing a lot of dirt, and the ranks of the Russian army still looked so sparse. Waldersee knew that the Boxers had captured Tianjin, and that the dozens of cannons would fall into the hands of the mob, but he always thought that the Boxers did not know how to use the cannons correctly.

Previously, the Boxers surrounded Dongjiaominxiang, and they also had cannons, but they were never able to break in, which made many officers and generals have a low opinion of the Boxers. But now it seems that this is not the case. Looking at the bodies of the Russian soldiers lying in front of the position, Waldersee wondered if he had taken the wrong script.

The Boxers were hiding in the trenches, and when the artillery fired, they went into the ground. When the infantry came forward to attack, the damn Chinese popped out like rats. Alfred von Waldersee was very angry, he had never seen such a shameless way of fighting.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

"boom!"

Another round of artillery fire, after the smoke cleared, there were more than a dozen Russian corpses on the ground. The remaining gray animals panted and rushed into the first trench, ready to teach the hateful Chinese a lesson. After crossing the battlefield, the Russian soldiers no longer had the advantage in numbers, but they still had a strong psychological advantage.

There is a saying that goes, "One Russian soldier is worth three Japanese soldiers, or five Chinese soldiers." So even after finding themselves at a disadvantage, the Russian soldiers still bravely jumped into the trenches and fought with the defenders.

And then, nothing happened to them.

When the Russian soldiers rushed into the trenches, the generals in the observation post were all smiling. In their opinion, no one could stop the Russian bayonet charge. Even the lobster soldiers and the German army thought they could not compare with the Russians in bayonet fighting.

But now, the Russian troops who rushed in were killed by the Chinese? Oh, and they were pushed back.

The Russian army retreated in a panic. The defenders chased them for a while. The sound of gongs rang out in the trenches, so they picked up their guns and ammunition and retreated. Seeing this scene, the smiles on the faces of the generals froze.

Alfred von Waldersee held up a telescope and saw many people holding shovels to repair the damaged trenches. He thought it would not take long for the trenches to be restored to their original state. He could not help but curse again: Damn Chinese!

No matter how angry you are, the battle still has to be fought.

The cannons have been fired, the infantry has been deployed, what else can be done next? Send out the cavalry? But the coalition cavalry is not numerous, and they need to be used to cover the two wings. So keep firing the cannons and keep charging.

Chapter 110 Reinforcements

Alfred von Waldersee wanted to drag all the cannons over and blow up all the Boxers, but because the roads and bridges were destroyed, a large amount of baggage, cannons and shells were waiting in line to cross the river.

“Damn Chinese!”

Marshal Waldersee cursed again, and then had to withdraw his troops reluctantly.

It's not that we can't fight at night, but it's very dangerous. If you can't see where the people are, the power of the volley guns can't be brought into play. And the gold, silver and treasures in the baggage train are the most important things.

Eliminating the enemy was secondary, and transporting the looted items back was Alfred von Waldersee's current idea. There were too many Chinese in this place, and he still wanted to return with glory and treasure, like a hero in a legendary story.

It was not quiet at night, and from time to time one could hear the roar of gunfire in the distance. It did not last long, but it happened every now and then, so many people did not sleep well. Alfred von Waldersee did not sleep well either, but he did not want to show any weakness in front of his subordinates, so Waldersee cleaned himself up before leaving.

Yesterday, the Russian army had already entered the village, but was pushed out again. This shows that yesterday's attack was effective. As long as we increase our strength today, we will definitely be able to defeat the mob on the opposite side! This time, for sure!

After a night of emergency transportation, more artillery was dragged over, and the ammunition was much more sufficient. The cannons were lined up, and the god of war roared again. Explosions were heard everywhere in the ruined village, and the sound of cattle and horses neighing could be heard faintly. Some people could be seen running in panic under the artillery fire.

"That's right!"

Looking through the telescope, all the buildings in the village collapsed in the artillery fire. Alfred von Waldersee put down the telescope and prepared to enjoy breakfast.

The attendant brought him exquisite food one by one and poured him half a glass of wine. Alfred von Waldersee liked to drink wine very much, especially if it was made from grapes produced in Bordeaux in 82. The red liquid rose and fell in the wine glass, shaking from time to time, making the ripples more chaotic.

Waldersee listened to the rumble of the cannon, stroked his iconic Prussian mustache with satisfaction, then picked up the glass and drank it all in one gulp. The bright red liquid dripped into the puddle on the ground.

The scarlet mark spread, and Xu Wuji pulled the saber out of the enemy's body, letting the blood slide down the blade. As the first class leader of the Baoding Military Academy, he rose very fast and is now a captain and battalion commander. The classmates who were assigned to the Fourth Regiment with him, as long as they were not dead, were promoted very quickly.

"withdraw!"

Xu Wuji held a gun in his left hand and a knife in his right hand, and shouted to the people around him: "Retreat to the second trench! Quick!"

“…&*￥%…￥%!”

A Russian soldier suddenly appeared from the right-angle trench. Xu Wuji raised his hand and fired a shot. "Bang!"

The Russian army fell. But more enemy troops appeared on the ground. Xu Wuji didn't dare to fight, so he crouched and ran to the rear with other soldiers. The reinforcements had already arrived. Xu Wuji plunged into the trench, listening to the gunshots behind him, and was glad that he survived again.

Others thought he was very brave, but Xu Wuji knew that he was not. He was also afraid, but he did not show it. Every time the foreign devils bombarded, he would pray to the Jade Emperor, Xuanwu Zhenjun, Tathagata Buddha, and all the gods in his heart, praying that the shells would not fall on his head.

Right-angle trenches can effectively reduce the damage from artillery fire, but what if the shells just hit the trenches and landed nearby? Wang Qi had seen such unlucky people. After the explosion, there was nothing left, only some brown marks.

"We need more cannons!" was his only thought at the time.

After the first trench was lost, two regiments were immediately sent from the rear to assist in the battle. Many times, Wang Qi felt that the reinforcements came at the right time. The rebel soldiers with swords and spears rushed into the trenches to deal with the uninvited enemies.

When the battle was almost non-stop, Xu Wuji pulled the trigger at an enemy, but it missed. He then remembered that he had run out of bullets. He fished for bullets to reload, but the enemy had already rushed in front of him with a bayonet. He cursed angrily, threw the pistol as if it were a hidden weapon, and then fought the enemy with both hands holding the knife.