The sun never sets

Seeing that the Mongolian cavalry had already rushed to the front, and only one heavy machine gun started firing, Akiyama Yoshifuru immediately sent an understaffed regiment to attack, and asked the remaining mule soldiers, donkey soldiers and the like to dismount and fight on foot. The impact of infantry is not as good as that of cavalry, but in terms of firepower output, it is far better than cavalry. Anyway, those people's mounts are not very obedient, and the effect of launching a mounted attack will not be very good, so it is better to dismount and serve as infantry.

Akiyama Yoshifuru looked at the enemy cavalry with a serious look, thinking in his mind. Too fast! The speed of the Mongol cavalry wearing thick furs was too fast. They could run so fast even when the ground was covered with ice and snow... Could it be that their mounts were better than the war horses that the empire had carefully cultivated for decades? Looking at the physique of those war horses, it seemed possible.

"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

The second heavy machine gun finally roared, followed by the third and fourth. The long flames whipped back and forth in the Mongolian cavalry, tearing many people and horses into pieces. However, the Mongolian cavalry simply ignored their own casualties. Facing the shooting of heavy machine guns, they did not hesitate or stop, and still maintained a loose formation and charged eastward. Although they were in a hostile state, Akiyama Yoshifuru had to admire the enemy on the opposite side, "Really strong!" Even if the First Cavalry Brigade did not mix so many draft horses, mules and other livestock, it would not be possible for them to automatically form several waves during the charge like the Mongolian cavalry.

In terms of riding skills, the Mongols who grew up on horseback were better than the Japanese cavalry. But so what? Two Mamluk cavalrymen could beat three French cavalrymen, one hundred French cavalrymen would not be afraid of one hundred Mamluk cavalrymen, and one thousand French cavalrymen could defeat one thousand five hundred Mamluk cavalrymen! Tactics and formations were more important than riding skills!

The balance of war seemed to be tilting in the direction that Akiyama Yoshifuru had envisioned, and a large number of Mongolian cavalry were torn to pieces by machine gun bullets. But when the melee began, the situation began to change. While the heavy machine gun crew was busy replacing the ammunition belt, the Mongolian cavalry quickly killed through the Japanese cavalry and rushed towards the machine gun position. Akiyama Yoshifuru clenched the saber in his hand, and his admiration for the enemy turned into resentment, "Too strong!"

"

shooting!"

"Kill him!"

The Japanese soldiers who dismounted and fought on foot fired hard, trying to use bullets to block the enemy cavalry in front of them. However, the weather was too cold, and the accuracy and frequency of shooting were far less than during normal training. Many people's guns also malfunctioned and jammed. The 30-year rifle used by the Japanese army was also called the "Golden Hook Rifle". It was better than the Murata rifle used during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, but it still had many problems. It was common for it to malfunction during combat.

"Oops! I can't stop it!"

The Mongolian cavalry's impact was too strong. The cavalry that was trying to intercept them in front of them were dispersed, and the thin infantry line was also broken. Akiyama Yoshifuru raised his saber and shouted loudly: "Follow me!"

At the critical moment, Akiyama Yoshifuru still wanted to fight like a cavalryman. The battle unfolded in every place on the ice field, with the neighing of war horses and the shouts and screams of humans everywhere. When fighting the Russians in Outer Northeast, the First Cavalry Brigade had defeated three times the number of Cossacks. Even in the most dangerous time, Akiyama Yoshifuru still believed that the First Cavalry Brigade could win the final victory. But now, his confidence was crushed by the roaring enemy.

Chapter 329 Questions and Answers Are Useless

Akiyama Yoshifuru used to think that the First Cavalry Brigade would win the final victory, but things on the battlefield are not what you think. When the situation deteriorated to the point where he needed to draw his sword and go into battle, he knew that the First Cavalry Brigade had reached the most critical moment. The Japanese army had been starving for several months. The cavalry could grab more things, but the consumption was also great. The horses of the First Cavalry Brigade died in large numbers due to the harsh environment and hunger, and the soldiers were so hungry that their eyes were green. But the biggest difficulty was the cold. In this world of ice and snow, there were many tall trees that could be cut down as fuel, but there were not so many people to cut down trees, and the Japanese army lacked the corresponding tools. Bayonets certainly could not be used to cut down trees.

Compared with Japanese soldiers, the Mongols are undoubtedly more adaptable to cold weather, especially those from the northern desert. Kulun City often falls into the severe cold of minus 20 to 30 degrees Celsius in winter. The Mongols know how to deal with such cold weather. The thick fur they wear is warmer than the Japanese woolen coats. And those tall Mongolian horses are more energetic than Japanese horses.

After suffering more than 200 casualties, the Mongolian cavalry entered the stage of hand-to-hand combat. The sturdy Mongolian cavalry used sabers to defeat the Japanese cavalry, and then pierced through the Japanese infantry defense line and directly killed the heavy machine gun position. The Japanese soldiers used bayonet rifles to resist, causing some losses to the Mongolian cavalry, but only some losses. Relying on their superb riding skills, the Mongolians chopped down the Japanese one by one on the snow.

After the first wave achieved a breakthrough, Meng En Borjigin decisively deployed the second wave of cavalry and successfully defeated the Japanese cavalry's reserve. Akiyama Yoshifuru knew to leave a reserve, and Meng En Borjigin also knew it. The snow-covered environment limited the mobility of the cavalry, making the tactics of both sides seem a bit rigid, but neither side had a better choice. In the case of heavy snow and the ground covered with ice and snow, any means of dividing and attacking, changing formations, etc. were useless. All the commander could do was to throw the army onto the battlefield in waves, either to win or to suffer defeat.

The fierce battle lasted for nearly an hour. The Japanese 1st Cavalry Brigade suffered heavy losses and could no longer hold on. Looking around, there were Mongolians riding tall horses everywhere. The Japanese cavalry had been completely dispersed. Several heavy machine gun squadrons were wiped out. Many Japanese soldiers grabbed mules, donkeys and other livestock and ran in the direction they came from. Akiyama Yoshifuru roared angrily and ordered the soldiers to turn around and fight, but it was of no use.

The defeat was devastating, and the morale of the 1st Cavalry Brigade had been completely destroyed. Even Akiyama Yoshifuru could not make the soldiers who had lost their will to fight turn around and fight, because he was not Napoleon.

Meng En* Borjigin galloped down the mountain, and his horse rode on the smooth mountain as if it were flat ground. He came to the battlefield full of corpses, saw the mules and donkeys, and said disdainfully: "How can we not fail if we ride on such animals? The Japanese are getting worse and worse!"

When Marshal Lin attacked Tianjin, Prince Meng En* Borjigin was the first to charge in and was shot by the Japanese. This time, the Japanese cavalry was defeated, and Prince Meng En felt relieved. He rode his horse to the rescued infantry, looked left and right, but did not see Xu Wuji, so he jumped off his horse, grabbed someone, and asked, "Hey, where is your division commander?"

The soldier who was held back said: "The division commander is behind us! Let's go back now..."

"What do you mean by 'we'? You keep going forward, and leave the rest to us!" Meng En heard the news, jumped on his horse, blew the horn, and the Mongolian cavalry scattered nearby gathered together. Many of them had tired looks on their faces, and their horses were panting, obviously exhausted, but Meng En* Borjigin seemed not to notice, "Follow me!"

Some of the Mongolian cavalry had already chased eastward, and Meng En* Borjigin followed with the rear guard. Soon, only the injured mounts and a company of infantry from the 7th Division were left on the battlefield. When the Mongolian cavalry and the Japanese cavalry were fighting, the infantry of this company also joined the battle and seized the Japanese cavalry.

A heavy machine gun position. Seeing that the Mongolian cavalry were either continuing to advance eastward or returning westward with the wounded, a soldier asked, "Captain, are we going back?"

Although there was only one company of troops, this company was directly under the regiment, and the officer leading the troops was a regimental commander of the Seventh Division.

"Of course we have to go back!" The regiment commander gritted his teeth and said, "How can we blame the Mongols for everything that happened to our Seventh Division?"

"But the commander's order..."

"If you violate military law, I will be the one to bear the consequences!"

So the infantry of this company turned 180 degrees and trudged back the way they came. The previous battle consumed too much physical strength, and the heat accumulated in the body quickly dissipated in the cold wind. Many people were shivering from the cold. After walking five miles with great difficulty, they met the division commander Xu Wuji and the guard company coming over.

"Master!"

"Master, I'm glad you're okay!"

Xu Wuji looked at the soldiers with blue lips, resisted the urge to curse, forced a smile on his face and greeted everyone, then pulled the regiment leader aside and said in a low voice, "What are you doing? Didn't I tell you to retreat first? Why are you back again?"

"The Japanese are chasing us, and everyone is worried about your safety."

Xu Wuji snorted twice, "I have already arranged for the troops to pick us up. There were so many cavalrymen, didn't you see that? Forget it this time, but if there is a next time, I think you don't want to be the head of the regiment anymore, and you should just go to the kitchen and be a cook!"

The regiment commander knew the division's arrangements very well and knew that the Mongolian cavalry could not be the division commander's backup. However, he was not stupid and would not expose the division commander's lies to his face. He just nodded repeatedly and said, "I know. There will never be a next time."

The anger on Xu Wuji's face gradually dissipated. He sighed and said, "I didn't find the Mongolian cavalry, but I do have a way to escape. The worst that can happen is to cross the mountain. You are very brave to bring the soldiers back, but if you encounter a large Japanese force, what will happen to these more than a hundred soldiers?"

When Xu Wuji was trapped on the mound, he was ready to escape over the mountain when it got dark. Unexpectedly, the Japanese cavalry that was advancing westward fled back in panic. At first, he thought the Japanese were pretending, so he stayed put and insisted on lying on the mound to get some fresh air. Later, he saw more and more Japanese cavalry retreating, and there were Mongolian cavalry chasing them from behind, so he believed that the Japanese were really defeated, so he led his troops down from the mound to kill them.

But it was useless. It was difficult to go up and difficult to come down. By the time Xu Wuji's small unit came down, the Japanese cavalry had already run far away. The Japanese troops deployed around ran along with them. The Mongolian cavalry chasing the Japanese did not stop and disappeared on the road to the east.

Not long after, Meng En* Borjigin arrived with the rear guard. Seeing Xu Wuji with ice and snow hanging on his body, he laughed several times while sitting on his horse and shouted, "Your Majesty has already arrived at Luojin City. You can run for your lives. I will go chop off a few more Japanese heads!"

Let's talk, Prince Meng En led the Mongolian cavalry and rushed away. The soldiers of the Seventh Division who stayed in place all cursed loudly. Xu Wuji could only sigh again and asked everyone to save some energy, as there were still more than ten miles to go. Then, they met the friendly troops who were walking back. Xu Wuji, whose hands and feet were almost numb due to the cold, naturally had no good face.

Chapter 330 Nogi

Xu Wuji led his men to Kraskino first. After settling the soldiers, he found a horse and rushed to Rajin City overnight. Rajin City had an ice-free port, and the Japanese army would be able to escape as long as they fought here. Even if the People's Army set fire to the port, the Japanese army could build several simple docks in a short time.

For the People's Army, if they wanted to annihilate the hundreds of thousands of elite Japanese troops in Outer Manchuria, they must not let the Japanese occupy the city of Rajin. On the other hand, the primary goal of Oyama Iwao and others was to occupy an ice-free port so that they could get a steady supply of supplies and transport the wounded away by ship.

Seeing Xu Wuji appear in the command center of Luojin City, Lin Yongchang was very dissatisfied. "He didn't follow the instructions to retreat in front, and now he has abandoned the army and ran to the rear. Do you really think that military law is just for show?"

"Principal, I came here overnight to report an emergency to you."

"Hmph, tell me!"

"The Japanese army's combat effectiveness is still there and cannot be underestimated. If the General Headquarters wants to fight a decisive battle with the Japanese army, it must have more troops and heavy firepower! They are different from the Russian army!"

"Nonsense! The Japanese army is of course different from the Russian army. The Russian army has been fighting for three years and the veterans are already tired, but the Japanese army has just entered the war state and is still in high spirits!"

Lin Yongchang said, "Although you disobeyed orders, you held off the Japanese for two more days, which is also considered a merit. But merit is merit, and fault is fault. We in the People's Army do not do the system of offsetting merits. After the war is over, you can go to the Army University to teach. Do you have any objections?"

"Yes! The students have no objection!"

"Humph, how many times have I told you not to get into the life-dependent relationship of teacher and student? Do you think I can treat you differently just because you were my student? Or do I think I can turn a blind eye to your disobedience just because I taught you a few days?"

"No, students never think so." Xu Wuji shook his head and said, "It's just to remind myself not to forget those classmates. Our night raid group: ⑥⑨86, , that class had a total of people, fighting

41 people died, 12 were missing, and two retired due to injuries. I am the only one who survived intact. Principal, I can't forget them."

The battle with the Eight-Nation Alliance was the biggest challenge Lin Yongchang encountered. At that time, the rebel army lacked cannons, rifles, ammunition, officers, and almost everything except the determination for revenge. In that situation, there was no other way except to fight desperately. Even though the Eight-Nation Alliance was surrounded in more than ten square kilometers of land in North China, it still paid a huge price in casualties before winning.

The casualties of the third-term cadets of the quick-training department were very high because they led the charge. Not only did the cadets of the quick-training department suffer heavy casualties, but so did the other departments. Many leaders of the rebel army, such as Zhao Sanduo, Xu Cunyi, Zhang Xianzhong, etc., died in that battle.

Lin Yongchang's expression softened. "I have never forgotten them either." He was silent for a while and asked, "Can the Seventh Division still fight?"

"We only have enough troops to be reduced to a brigade, but our morale is still there, and we can continue to fight!"

"Then you will become a brigade commander and withdraw the troops to Laolongshan. That is the end line. You must not let the large Japanese troops cross the Laolongshan position."

"Yes!"

Meng En* Borjigin led the Mongolian cavalry to chase in the snow for a while, killing hundreds of Japanese soldiers who fell behind. After the Japanese infantry arrived, they evacuated the battlefield leisurely. Akiyama Yoshifuru, who was shot, quickly bandaged his wound and reported the new situation of the Mongolian cavalry to Oyama Iwao.

"I already know about this. Other officers have already said so. Akiyama Yoshifuru, let me ask you, are our cavalry inferior to the Mongolian cavalry?"

Akiyama Yoshifuru gritted his teeth and said, "If the First Cavalry Brigade was in its prime, it could defeat an equal number of Mongolian cavalry!"

"So, those Mongols are more powerful than the Cossacks?"

"........Yes."

"I understand. You should go down and recover first."

"Your Excellency Marshal! My injuries will not affect the battle!"

"We'll need you when the time comes. All the horses in the army are given to your First Cavalry Brigade. Prepare them well. Do you understand?"

Akiyama Yoshifuru was shocked. "Sir, has the situation become so critical?"

Akiyama Yoshifuru strongly advocates that cavalry should be used in a concentrated manner, but horses are also needed for reconnaissance, messaging, etc. Now that all the horses are given to him, are there any plans to use them for other troops?

Dashanyan did not answer him, but said: "Use your eyes to see."

"Hai!"

Akiyama Yoshifuru looked up and found that the usually majestic marshal had lost a lot of weight. When he walked out of the tent, he heard Oyama Iwa's voice behind him, "Nogi, the next thing depends on you."

Has General Nogi arrived? Akiyama Yoshifuru's caution was lifted, but the wound on his body seemed to hurt even more.

Nogi Maresuke was the commander of the Third Army of the Japanese Army. He made great military achievements during the battle in Outer Manchuria. He not only captured Shuangchengzi, but also burned many villages and towns in Primorsky Province. Because the charge was too fierce, when the Japanese army fought back, the Third Army took a longer time to gather its troops. On the way here, they also fought several battles with the Siberian Army. Both the Tsarist Russian Army and the Siberian Army were the same group of people. The Russians did not have enough food. Although their morale was good, their physical strength was not good. They retreated after a while of fighting. Even so, it delayed the speed of the Third Army. When Nogi Maresuke came back, the previous battles had ended. The Japanese army had to attack a new strong position, and the task fell on Nogi Maresuke's Third Army.

"Please rest assured, sir. The Third Army will be able to take over that town within three days! It will take a day and a half to prepare, and another day and a half to resolve the battle. By this time in three days, you can enter that town and rest."

Kraskino is a place smaller than Khasansky. On the way to Outer Northeast, Nogi Maresuke stayed in Kraskino for one night and still had some impression of it. He believed that with the support of powerful artillery firepower, it would only take a day and a half to capture Kraskino.

"General Nogi, don't be careless. The Chinese are more difficult to deal with than the Russians!"

Nogi Maresuke raised his head and said, "Marshal, just wait for good news here. Nogi will leave now."

Returning to the Third Army headquarters, Nogi Maresuke shouted in the howling north wind: "I promised the marshal that we can take the enemy's position within three days! Can you do it?"

The officers, whose faces had turned blue from the cold, shouted in unison: "Yes!"

Nogi Maresuke said with satisfaction: "Then please work harder!"

Chapter 331 Drinking

The Japanese artillery was not all pulled up, most of them were left behind, especially the 280mm caliber howitzers and mortars, which were a nightmare for the logistics and transportation department. Even the heavy howitzers, which were much lighter, were difficult to maneuver. Under good roads, they could only move forward miles a day at most. In the Outer Northeast, where there were no railways and heavy snow was everywhere, the daily transportation distance of heavy howitzers was only half of the normal distance, and a large number of livestock would die on the road. In addition to the large-scale deaths of livestock, many Japanese soldiers involved in the transportation fell ill on the way.

But Nogi Maresuke didn't care about these things. He was a typical

Japanese generals, as long as they could win, never cared about how many soldiers were killed or wounded or how much weapons and equipment were lost.

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

The Japanese mountain artillery and field artillery began to fire, and flames appeared on the positions of the People's Army. Like Khasansky, the defenses here in Kraskino were also built with ice and snow and other things, with firing holes, minefields, heavy machine gun firing points and artillery positions, but no barbed wire was used. In temperatures of minus 20 to 30 degrees, barbed wire would become very brittle and not be effective enough, so it would be better to build more ice and snow defense lines.

Melt the ice and snow and pour it on the defense line. It will freeze hard overnight and the bayonet cannot penetrate it. Such an ice and snow defense line can not only block bullets, but also small-caliber shells. It is not very effective against large-caliber howitzers. However, we can build more defense lines to make up for quality with quantity. Water is also poured on those firing points. After freezing, the defense effect is very good. As long as they are not directly hit by heavy grenades, there will be no problem.

In Khasansky, the 7th Division rushed there urgently, carrying only mortars and a small number of mountain and field artillery. There was no heavy howitzer, but there were quite a few heavy machine guns. The soldiers of the 7th Division used firepower rationally and inflicted great damage on the Japanese. When they arrived in Kraskino, the strength and firepower of the People's Army were significantly improved. Not only did the number of heavy machine guns, mountain and field artillery increase, but there was also a company of heavy howitzers for support.

After the Japanese army's mountain artillery dragged to the front line began firing, the four heavy howitzers of the People's Army immediately launched a counterattack. Relying on the advantage of range and the guidance of the front-line artillery observers, the heavy howitzers fired two rounds and hit a Japanese artillery position, blowing the Japanese artillery and their cannons into pieces.

Nogi Maresuke felt the shock of the heavy grenade explosion, but he remained indifferent, even with a smile on his face, looking confident. The artillery fire was just the beginning, and the soldiers still had to charge to win the victory. Nogi Maresuke won in Lushun during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and in Outer Northeast a few months ago in this way.

He smiled and said to the soldier beside him: "Pour me a glass of vodka."

"Hai!"

Nogi Maresuke sat on a stool, drinking the strong liquor he had stolen from the Russians, and didn't care about the battle at all. The chief of staff sent to him by the headquarters, Ijichi Yukisuke, was a new general who had studied in Germany and learned modern military theories. Nogi Maresuke trusted Ijichi very much, so he just gave orders and handed over the specific combat deployment to Ijichi and others.

The guns roared continuously, and the "da da da da" sound of the heavy machine guns never stopped. More and more wounded were carried down, and Nogi Maresuke's originally relaxed expression gradually became solemn, but he still looked calm and composed. Shuangchengzi was so difficult to attack, but he still took it down? Of course, the current situation is somewhat different from the attack on Shuangchengzi. The Third Army under his command does not have so many artillery available. A lot of artillery and artillery vehicles were damaged in the battle, and the powerful heavy artillery fell behind. Even if the soldiers of the baggage team traveled day and night, it would take a long time to get here. As for those fortress artillery, there is no need to think about it for the time being.

After more than three hours of fierce fighting, one regiment was wiped out, but Nogi Maresuke still did not react, and just asked Ijichi to replace another regiment. If there were artillery units that arrived at the front line, they would also join the attack sequence.

After hearing the order, Ijichi Yukisuke stood there without leaving. Nogi Maresuke asked in confusion: "Ijichi, is there anything else?"

"Commander-in-chief, Katsudori......"

Nogi Maresuke stood up from his stool and asked, "What happened to Katsunori?"

Nogi Katsunori was the eldest son of Nogi Maresuke and served in the Third Army. Ijichi Kosuke lowered his head and said, "Katsunori died in battle."

"…Are you sure?"

"It's confirmed."

The smile on Nogi Maresuke's face disappeared. He was silent for a long time, and then said, "Ah, the coffin prepared for him can be used. Let's put him away properly."

"Commander, do you want to see Shengdian for the last time?"

"I won't go. I saw that a lot of wounded were sent down before. We lost a lot of people, right? Nogi Katsunori was just a soldier. Ijichi, how many casualties did we have in total?"

"About two thousand people."

"So many? This is much faster than the rate of casualties we suffered in Shuangchengzi!"

"Commander, the Chinese are very powerful. They have at least forty heavy machine guns, and I don't know how many are not exposed. They also have large-caliber heavy artillery. Our artillery has been suppressed."

Nogi Maresuke looked at Ijichi, "I told the marshal that we can capture Kraskino tomorrow afternoon... Can you do it?"

Ijichi Kosuke replied, "I will organize the soldiers to attack at night."

When besieging Shuangchengzi, Yijizhi used various means such as night attacks and earthworks, and achieved certain results. Now that the offensive has been frustrated, Yijizhi can only think of a way again. Night attacks have always been the favorite of the side with inferior equipment. Fighting in the dark can largely offset the gap in firepower. The Japanese army's equipment is not as good as that of the Chinese or the Russians, and can only rely on night battles to win. As for earthworks... Earthworks...

It was frozen as hard as steel and could not be dug out at all.

Nogi Maresuke said, "The weather is too cold. Let's give an extra rice ball to the warriors who will participate in the night raid. Do you have any sake left? If you have, give the warriors a drink too."