Shortly after the 18th Guards Army entered the battle, Afnin called Sokov and reported to him emotionally: "Comrade Commander, we have captured a large force of the Kwantung Army. Let's see if the number of people is at least There are tens of thousands of people in one division.”

"Oh, there are tens of thousands of people, that's a large army." After Sokov said this, he did not forget to remind Afuning: "The army numbers of the little devils are different from ours. Their division-level units are not called divisions." , is called a division; the brigade level is called a brigade, and the following wing, group, squadron and squad are equivalent to our regiment, battalion, company and platoon respectively."

"So that's it, I understand." Afuning continued: "They are trapped near Sauron, and our army is fully capable of eating them."

“General Afnin, how do you plan to eat this enemy?” Sokov asked.

"This is how I think about it," Afunin said: "Major General Ryazanov's 41st Guards Division will be responsible for the frontal attack, while Major General Konev's 3rd Guards Airborne Division will detour to their rear. Capture Sauron and cut off their retreat; while Ye Liaoming's 4th Guards Airborne Division, with the cooperation of tank troops, assaulted the Wangye Temple and completed the encirclement of the enemy."

"I agree with your battle plan." While Sokov agreed with Afunin's battle plan, he was also full of curiosity. Who was the unlucky guy who was bitten by his 18th Guards Corps so quickly? "Also, once you figure out the number of the enemy's troops, report them to me immediately."

"Okay, Comrade Commander. I will report to you in time if there is any latest situation."

After Sokov put down the phone, he stared at the map for a while, raised his head and said to Yakov: "Our army is making good progress and has not encountered any decent resistance. I think we don't need the support of the air force for the time being."

"Misha, I think so too." Yakov walked to Sokov's side, pointed at the map and said: "Judging from the intelligence we have, the Kwantung Army has no solid positions at all on our way forward. We have permanently prepared fortifications, so even without the support of the air force, our army can smoothly advance forward."

"Two comrades, commanders." Gorokhov came over and said, "Do you feel that our progress is too smooth? Could it be a conspiracy of the Kwantung Army? They may have laid a trap somewhere in the front. Waiting for us to jump in."

"Comrade Military Commissar, you are worrying too much." Lu Jin said to Gorokhov: "The Kwantung Army may feel that there is a barrier in the Greater Khingan Mountains to the north of them, and our army's large forces cannot deploy at all, so in this area The number of defense fortifications built in this direction was limited, and the deployed troops were also scattered. When our army unexpectedly launched an attack from this direction, they were unable to organize an effective defense at all. They could only choose to abandon their positions, shrink their troops, and withdraw. Go to the big cities in the rear and prepare to fight us in large-scale urban offensive and defensive battles one after another to consume our army's strength."

When he heard that there was a possibility of street fighting, Gorokhov's expression became serious: "It would be troublesome if we really had street fighting. Among other things, in the Battle of Stalingrad, the invincible German army suffered a huge loss in the street fighting. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of people couldn't take down the city where our defeated soldiers were holding on. The most exaggerated thing is that the enemy rushed into the living room, while our soldiers still stayed in the bedroom. The two sides were in a stalemate, and no one could do anything to the other..."

"Comrade Military Commissar, don't worry." Although Sokov had limited knowledge of the history of the Soviet Union's elimination of the Kwantung Army, he also knew that there were no urban street fighting at all, so he comforted Gorokhov: "Kwantung Army The army did not expect that our army would launch an attack from this direction, so their war preparations were seriously inadequate. Even if they were lucky enough to escape into a big city, the possibility of street fighting was unlikely."

Gorokhov lit a cigarette, took two puffs, and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, you may not know that my father was killed on Hill 203 in Port Arthur."

“Highland 203 in Lushun?” Sokov was stunned after hearing this, “When did this happen?”

According to his thinking, Gorokhov is now in his forties and his father is at least in his early sixties. How could he die in Port Arthur? You know, the Soviet Pacific Fleet may not have reached this position yet.

Just when Sokov was confused, he suddenly heard Lukin asking: "Comrade Military Commissar, so your father participated in the Russo-Japanese War in 1904?"

"That's right." Gorokhov nodded and said in a positive tone: "His unit was ordered to hold on to Hill 203, and he died there gloriously. I was only five years old when he died."

Sokov was also unfamiliar with this period of history. He only knew that the Japs suffered heavy casualties while attacking a certain hilltop in order to seize the Lushun military port, and the hillside was covered with corpses. Thinking of this, Sokov felt extremely excited. He couldn't help but said to Gorokhov: "Comrade Military Commissar, can you tell us in detail?"

Yakov also echoed: "Yes, Comrade Military Commissar, since there is nothing to do now, why not tell us about the war that happened that year."

Seeing that both Sokov and Yakov wanted to hear him tell the story of the Russo-Japanese War, Gorokhov glanced at Lukin with some hesitation to see his reaction. Unexpectedly, Lu Jin raised his chin at him and said, "Comrade Military Commissar, since everyone wants to hear it, just tell me."

"After the little Japanese landed in Dalian, they rushed directly to Lushun. The commanding heights of the western defense line, 203 Highlands, became the key to this battle." Gorokhov said: "Before attacking the 203 Highlands, Nogi Nogi, who was called the **** of war by the little devils, asked all the officers and soldiers participating in the battle to write suicide notes, because in his view, this was a battle with no return. The two sides first carried out artillery bombardment, and then the little devils launched The Russian army stood on the high ground and relied on the solid fortress to fire wildly with machine guns to block the path of the imp's attack.

Nogi Hidenori ordered his men to launch a board-mounted charge. Rows of little Japanese bravely rushed to the high ground, but they became the target of the Maxim machine gun in the fortress. Under the intensive firepower of hundreds of heavy machine guns, the Japs were all killed in large groups. In the first day of fighting alone, they lost more than 5,000 people. "

When Sokov heard this, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Hundreds of heavy machine guns fired for a day, and more than 5,000 Japs were eliminated. And this was even when the opponent charged in a dense formation. The result was too unsatisfactory. Bar.

Gorokhov did not notice the regretful look on Sokov's face, and continued: "Seeing that Nogi's attack on the first day did not work, he adjusted the direction of the attack the next day and sent 15,000 people. They launched an attack towards the Panlong Mountain Highlands, but the final result was the same as the first day. The 35th Regiment was wiped out under machine gun fire. After attacking like this for five days, the Little Devils lost five regiments and suffered casualties. More than 16,000 people. But even so, the island country authorities did not have the idea of ​​replacing Nogi Nogi. Instead, they sent more reinforcements, bringing his number of troops to 130,000. They even dispatched a group of 280mm mortar, used against highland fortresses.

 Hindori Nogi, who had been supplemented, ordered the artillery to bombard the fortress on the high ground with newly delivered mortars, and then launched a large-scale charge. As a result, he suffered more than 4,000 casualties and still failed to capture the high ground.

Seeing that the war situation was unfavorable, the authorities of the island country sent General Kodama Gentaro to the front line to take over Nogi Nogi's duties and continue the task of seizing Highland 203. After Kodama Gentaro arrived at the front line, he immediately changed his original tactics. He first ordered all artillery to concentrate on the west side of the high ground and carried out violent bombardment on the high ground. At the same time, he concentrated more than 60,000 troops to prepare to attack the high ground again. His order to the troops was to charge while the bombardment was in progress, rather than waiting for the bombardment to end before attacking..."

"Huh?!" Yakov couldn't help but interject after hearing this: "I remember Misha liked to do this the most. Every time the artillery preparations for the enemy's position were not over, he would order the troops to start attacking. This way After the shelling ended, the attacking troops had reached a position several hundred meters away from the enemy's position. When they rushed in front of the enemy, the enemy in the position had not yet woken up from the shelling they had suffered..."

"Okay, Yasha, don't interrupt Comrade Military Commissar." After Sokov raised his hand to signal Yakov to stop talking, he said to Gorokhov: "Comrade Military Commissar, please continue. Could it be that Gentaro Kodama Did you capture Highland 203 after changing your tactics?"

"Yes," Gorokhov nodded and said, "I have to say that Kodama Gentaro's move is simply too vicious. He will do whatever it takes to achieve his goal, and he doesn't care even if he blows up his own people. But I have to admit. , The effect of what he did was very good. Because the artillery fire concentrated on the high ground, it directly knocked down 3 meters of the original highland of 206 meters above sea level, so it was called 203 Highlands.

The Russian army did not expect that the Japs would rush up under their own artillery fire, and they were caught off guard, causing their position to be breached. However, they did not give up their position immediately, but bravely fought hand-to-hand combat. The battle lasted for several days before the Russian army finally gave up on Highland 203. "

After listening to Gorokhov's story, Yakov couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "The Japs are so ruthless. In order to seize Highland 203, they would not hesitate to hit their own people with artillery fire. Presumably, among the Japs attacking the Highlands, some Many of them were probably killed by their own artillery fire."

"That's for sure, Yasha." Sokov said in a positive tone: "Although I always ask the troops to attack the enemy before the artillery fire ends. But I once ordered them that before the artillery fire really stopped, no one would attack. You are not allowed to enter a position two hundred meters away from the enemy's position, so as not to be accidentally injured by your own artillery fire. But in order to seize Highland 203, the little devils can be said to be desperate. Not to mention accidentally injuring hundreds or thousands of people, even if they kill more of their own people, I think they didn’t hesitate.”

Gorokhov said with some worry: "The little devils were so strong when they captured Highland 203. Now they are fighting with us. Will they fight us to the end like their fathers did?"

“No, Comrade Military Commissioner, I don’t think so. Facing our army’s powerful offensive, they simply won’t be able to sustain it for long.”

Sokov remembered that the Far East Campaign lasted very short time, and then the arrogant Kwantung Army laid down its weapons and surrendered. Then 600,000 Kwantung Army prisoners were sent to Siberia to dig potatoes. It is said that Siberia's potatoes gained unprecedented popularity that year. Good harvest. Although this kind of thing sounds exciting, Sokov knew very well in his heart that this should be another joke for later generations. These prisoners were sent to Siberia in mid-to-late September, when all the potatoes were harvested.

In the afternoon, Afnin called Sokov again and reported to him the progress of the battle on the battlefield: "Comrade Commander, we have figured out that the enemy we are fighting is the 107th Division of Koichi Abe. , they have now fallen into the encirclement of our army. Although they are resisting tenaciously, due to their strong defenses, it is only a matter of time before they are eliminated by our army."

"Well done, General Afuning." After learning that Afuning made dumplings for the 107th Division of the Kwantung Army, Sokov showed a pleased smile on his face: "There is one more thing I forgot to tell you. . Last night, an Asano force composed of White Russian soldiers and a small number of former Soviet soldiers contacted us and planned to take advantage of the defeat of the Kwantung Army to surrender to our army. However, the news was leaked due to being betrayed, and then Anbu Koichi's 107th Division dispatched troops to encircle and suppress the troops who were preparing to surrender, resulting in their complete annihilation."

"What, there is such a thing?" When Afuning heard this, he immediately became furious: "Our army is pressing down on the border, and they actually dare to massacre the Russians. They are simply desperate. Comrade Commander, I will immediately order the troops to launch a general offensive against them. ."

“If you need cooperation from the artillery and air force, just give me a call.”

Just when Sokov was about to put down the phone, Afunin suddenly asked again: "Comrade Commander, the 107th Division of the Kwantung Army has tens of thousands of people. When the battle is over, there will probably be many prisoners. We should Where are they being held?”

"This campaign was launched in a hurry, and we did not have time to build a prisoner of war camp." Sokov said to Afunin: "In other words, we are temporarily unable to accept so many prisoners, so you can handle it as appropriate."

When Sokov said this, Gorokhov next to him was startled. He quickly asked: "Comrade Commander, do you mean to kill them one by one without leaving any prisoners?"

"Yes, we don't have the ability to take in prisoners now. Carrying these prisoners is also a burden. It would be easier to deal with them simply." After Sokov said this to Gorokhov, he continued to order Afunin: " General Afuning, I would like to remind you that I do not need any Kwantung Army prisoners before taking the big cities. Do you understand?"

Hearing Sokov's order, Afunin hesitated for a long time, and finally replied with difficulty: "Okay, Comrade Commander, I will follow your order."

"Comrade Commander," Gorokhov reminded Sokov tactfully again after he put down the phone: "After this battle of the 18th Guards Army, at least several thousand Kwantung troops can be captured. If they are all executed, , will the superiors blame us when they find out?"