Chapter 261 The feasibility of adopting military measures
The Crossing Group's current areas of influence in Annan are concentrated on the northern coast, and there are no security concerns for a while. Even if North Vietnam retreats steadily after this, it will be difficult to attack the Tushan Peninsula in the short term. As for the Black Earth Port that needs to be reached across the sea, it goes without saying. That place is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it is difficult for Annan's water power to pose a substantial threat to it.
But even the most optimistic people have to admit that if the defeat of North Vietnam leads to a change of power, the interests of the Crossing Group in Annan will be greatly affected. As Tao Donglai said before, the current main input sources for the three important projects of the Crossing Group, namely immigration, energy and food, are from North Vietnam. The instability of North Vietnam will also bring negative effects to the Crossing Group that cannot be ignored. . In particular, the expansion of Western forces in the Indochina Peninsula is something that the Executive Committee will never tolerate. To control the South China Sea, you must control Malacca. To control Malacca, you must first control the sea between Sanya and Malacca. Indochina. Malacca is now under the control of Western forces. If even Indochina is occupied by Western forces, the pace of expansion southward will have to be greatly slowed down.
All the previous work done by the Crossing Group against Vietnam was to achieve this goal. Whether it was providing military aid to North Vietnam or trying to contact the Champa State in the south, the ultimate goal was to achieve indirect control of the political situation in Indochina and drive out Western forces control the route from the Strait of Malacca to mainland China through the Indochina Peninsula. This long-term plan will take several years to slowly be realized, but if it cannot even take the first step to support the puppet regime, then there is no need to talk about subsequent expansion and hegemony.
From a purely profit perspective, the Crossing Group cannot sit back and watch North Vietnam lose this civil war. Even Gu Kai and Meng He, who are opposed to direct military intervention, have to admit that the situation in the Annan Civil War will have a negative impact on the Crossing Group. have far-reaching consequences in the future.
In the next vote of the Executive Committee, the nine Executive Committee members passed the resolution to intervene in the Annan Civil War with seven votes in favor, one vote against, and one abstention. After Tao Donglai announced the resolution, Gu Kai immediately raised his hand to indicate that he had something to say.
"Although the results of the resolution have come out, I still want to remind everyone again of the dangers of war. With our current strength, we simply cannot afford to fight a war of attrition, nor can we afford too many casualties. When considering intervention methods, Please don’t just think about long-term interests, but also remember to think about the short-term profits and losses that military operations will cause.” Although Gu Kai was somewhat dissatisfied with the voting results, he still played the role of an opposition conscientiously. Forgot to remind attendees of the trouble that military means may bring to themselves.
"Let's talk about feasible military methods first." Yan Chujie didn't have the patience to listen to Gu Kai preaching his peace theory here, and immediately introduced the topic to the actual situation: "Based on what we know so far , the new North Vietnamese army that has received training has not yet reached the expected level, and its combat effectiveness is still questionable. If it fights against South Vietnam's firearms troops alone, the results may not be satisfactory. In addition, considering the distance from the Tushan Peninsula to the battlefield. , I think it is necessary to involve the Ministry of Shipping in this operation.”
The land distance between the two places is nearly 400 kilometers, while the sea distance is a quarter closer in comparison. The speed of taking a boat south from the Tushan Peninsula is much faster than marching by land, and the time required on the way is probably The difference is three times. If you want to deliver troops quickly, sea route is undoubtedly the wisest choice. However, the sea-going ships that North Vietnam can provide have the problem of small tonnage, and their transportation efficiency is definitely not as good as the professional shipping team of the Cross-Training Group.
At present, the Ministry of Shipping has deployed more than ten large ships on the route from Sanya to Beibu Gulf. After sufficient transportation capacity, it no longer packs passengers and cargo into one ship as in the past, but gradually frees up several ships specifically to go to Tushan. The total transportation capacity of immigrants transported on the peninsula has been greatly improved compared with previous months. If it really needs to be used to transport troops, then it shouldn't be a big problem to mobilize a few cargo ships to deliver more than a thousand new North Vietnamese troops, including people and equipment from the Do Son training camp, to the war zone at one time.
Yue Zhiyun also affirmed this on behalf of the Ministry of Shipping, but he also pointed out that doing so requires setting the time of action at least one week in advance so that the Ministry of Shipping has sufficient time to adjust the ship schedule. And if it is really necessary to dispatch the Crossing Group's own militia troops to fight across the sea, the complexity of this transportation task will increase exponentially. After all, at least two more ports will be needed to load soldiers and supplies. In addition, this transport fleet is not done just by sending troops there. At least a few ships must be left in the local coastal area to serve as maritime protection and maneuverability. If necessary, they can even be used to harass opponents. Combat missions on the coast.
"No matter what, our people must be mobilized. This new North Vietnamese army is unreliable." After listening to Yue Zhiyun's speech, Qian Tiandun took over. Among the attendees, he was probably the one who best understood the actual combat capabilities of the New North Vietnamese Army.
Qian Tiandun continued: "The North Vietnamese army we trained on the Do Son Peninsula is still barely passable in terms of military discipline, but the biggest problem is that they have too little live-fire training. It is difficult to say what will happen on the battlefield. Their performance. And they lack the cooperation of the spearmen, which is a very big hidden danger. Once the battle situation is unfavorable, the musketeer phalanx lacks effective cover when retreating, and it is easy to collapse."
"Our militia doesn't have spearmen to cooperate..." someone in the audience muttered.
"Our militia troops have all been equipped with Type 27 flintlocks. The range, rate of fire, and accuracy are much better than the exported matchlocks. Even the bayonet is nearly twice as long as the exported type. , so the battle formation used by our militia troops is not the Gustavus phalanx of the New North Vietnamese Army with spearmen, but a linear array with a shallower depth and a wider fighting surface for our troops. , Spear soldiers are not a necessity." Qian Tiandun immediately conducted a popular science on this issue: "To put it simply, what we are using now is the tactic of queuing to kill."
The historical tactic of queuing to kill appeared after the flintlock gun became widely used. In the second half of the 16th century, the flintlock gun began to enter the armies of Western countries and became standard equipment. However, on the battlefields of East Asia in this era, the Haihan militia was probably the only organized unit to use flintlocks. And because they "invented" the bayonet as a melee weapon half a century earlier than their Western counterparts, the Haihan militia also This was the first army in this time and space to cancel the formation of spearmen in the musketeers. At the same time, on the thirty-year battlefield in Europe, Gustav's musketeers still retained more than one-third of the spearmen as Melee guard.
In the East Asian battlefield at this time, it is impossible for opponents to use the same queuing and shooting tactics. Therefore, the officers of the Military and Police Department do not have to worry about the battle being so cruel that the two sides march in an orderly pace to within 50 meters of each other before shooting each other. Shooting - In fact, after using the exclusively manufactured powder gunpowder, the effective range of the Type 27 flintlock gun is enough to extend the distance to between 220 and 250 meters. As long as the firepower density is high enough, it can completely make up for the shooting accuracy. shortcomings.
South Vietnam's firearms troops are obviously not qualified to use queuing and shooting tactics. The mixed phalanx of matchlocks and spears will face the linear array with technological differences. Needless to say, the result will be overwhelming. The latter will achieve an overwhelming victory. The confidence of the Military and Police Department also comes from this. They firmly believe that after months of arduous training, their militiamen will have no problem dealing with a group of South Asian monkey soldiers whose technology and tactics are backward.
Qian Tiandun further pointed out that the current battle locations are narrow passes close to the coast. Although the fusiliers cannot fully deploy their formations in such places, they can in turn maintain greater firepower density and improve killing efficiency. Coupled with the support of artillery, it is not difficult to hold the pass. And if the battle situation is unfavorable, they can also retreat from the sea nearby, so that they will not be easily cut off by their opponents.
Ning Qi said: "Although I voted in favor of the resolution just now, I still want to make it clear, what is the combat goal we want to achieve? Is it to help the North Vietnamese army hold the front? Is it to help them defeat the South Vietnamese army? Is it to completely annihilate it? South Vietnam regime? Is it necessary to clarify this? ”
Tao Donglai said: "I also agree with what Teacher Ning said. We often say that we should not fight an unprepared battle. This kind of preparation is not only about materials and personnel, but also about clear combat goals. Clausewitz in "On War" said that war is nothing more than the continuation of politics through another means. We must also clarify the political purpose before using military means. I think it is more beneficial to us to maintain the stalemate of the Annan Civil War, so. Our attack on the South Vietnamese army should not be too strong for the time being, and the main purpose is to stabilize the existing front. No matter which side the North and the South attack in one go, it will not be a good outcome for us."
Yan Chujie echoed: "Mr. Tao is right. I would also like to add that this overseas military operation also has an important purpose, which is actual combat training. As everyone knows, the two battles that occurred after we traveled were both in the early stages. There is no militia participation at all. The existing militia team has not participated in actual combat at all since its establishment. I think the actual combat effectiveness of this force can only be tested on the battlefield compared with other opponents we may face. It can be said that this opponent is a soft persimmon, at least they do not have the ability to attack us at sea, and the firearms they use are all imported, and each shot is missing, unlike our own production. Ability. Using such an opponent to train our troops will, I think, play a great role in improving our military strength.”
"So in order to achieve the combat objectives you mentioned, how many militia troops do we need to send out to fight now? How many can we actually send?" Meng He asked.
Meng He's question was not answered immediately. After Tao Donglai, Yan Chujie, Qian Tiandun and others talked in low voices for a while, Tao Donglai answered the question: "We think there must be at least one battalion of troops." After a pause, he further added: "A reinforced battalion."
"Please be more detailed." Ning Qi reminded. After all, there are not many professionals here. You, Tao Donglai, only talked about a reinforcement camp. How do you know how big this force is?
"At present, our grassroots militia organizations still adopt the basic three-three system, that is, each platoon has three squads and each company has three platoons, and the company is still the highest unit of command for the time being. According to this organization, a battalion probably controls three A company, and then plus the personnel establishment of the battalion headquarters. However, if the company is strengthened, there will be some small changes in the establishment..." Tao Donglai pointed out to the participants: "In addition to the original three companies. , and a battalion artillery company is also required. In addition, the engineers, reconnaissance, and medical personnel directly under the battalion headquarters probably need a platoon each. As for the baggage logistics, we can leave it to the civilians. There should be no need for a dedicated baggage company. "
Ning Qi counted with his fingers and said: "It's probably the establishment of five companies?"
"Absolutely." Tao Donglai responded vaguely.
"500 people?" Meng He asked.
"More than that." Qian Tiandun, a straightforward person, obviously didn't realize that Tao Donglai was playing tricks, so he explained to him honestly: "Including the company headquarters, the company-level combat establishment is about 120 people, plus the battalion headquarters , a reinforced battalion needs six to seven hundred people, maybe even more.”
Sure enough, Meng He immediately asked: "How many troops do we have now? After sending out so many people, how many can stay to look after the house? Can we ensure the safety of various places?"
Tao Donglai coughed dryly and said: "The strength is definitely enough. The militiamen we trained in the first three batches are just enough. Now the fourth batch of militia students who are being trained also has two militia companies and a security company. If necessary, , you can enter the internship period in advance! Local security can be temporarily handed over to the security department. Besides, we also have our own militia organization. With so many members who have received grassroots militia training, we are definitely safe. "< br>
"If you want to transport so many people to fight across the sea, the big ships basically have to follow them. What about the sea defense of the base camp?" After Meng He asked, he suddenly realized that there was no need to ask this question.
Sure enough, Tao Donglai said with a matter-of-fact expression: "What we did before is what we should do now! Didn't Luo Shengdong plan to do business in the Shengli Port Enclosure? Then let him come over to inspect the land, and he could freely use Yazhou Water Village Bring all the ships here and station them for a period of time, and the fees will be deducted from the land rent.”
Among the officials that Chuan Chuan Group had made friends with in Yazhou, the one they used most easily was Luo Shengdong. The Executive Committee had not only borrowed ships and troops from him once, but both parties had always cooperated extremely well. Because of Luo Shengdong's immediate interests, he has basically no other thoughts now. He only wants to hug Haihan's thick legs and climb up. A telegram needs to be sent to the Cliff Office, and Luo Shengdong will arrive at Shengli Port the next day at most to wait for dispatch. Moreover, Luo Shengdong's official status is here. Anyone who seeks trouble in Shengli Port will have trouble with the Ming Dynasty. Putting him in Shengli Port as a mascot to ward off evil spirits in the house is actually quite effective.
Meng He said bitterly: "You can borrow it for a while, but you can't borrow it for a lifetime. If the war over there drags on for a long time, asking Yazhou Water Village to look after our house for a long time is not an option."
"So we have to draw up a combat plan first, make detailed plans for the combat cycle, deployment methods, and combat plans, and prepare emergency plans, so that we can really start our pre-war preparations." Tao Donglai tilted his head. Asked Yan Chujie for his opinion: "How long will it take for the Military and Police Department to make this plan?"
Yan Chujie said solemnly: "I will convene people to discuss this matter after the meeting. No later than the day after tomorrow, I will come up with an action plan and submit it to the executive committee for review."
Tao Donglai nodded and said to Gu Kai: "You are in charge of foreign affairs. Please contact the Tushan Peninsula and convey our intentions to North Vietnam. In addition, if we need North Vietnam's cooperation, we should deal with them as soon as possible. Make corresponding requests. You, Mr. Shi, and your colleagues from the Military and Police Department will discuss this matter together.”
Gu Kai understood immediately upon hearing this and roped in Schneider, a profiteer. He must be preparing to take the opportunity to extort North Vietnam's money. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this. The Crossing Group is willing to contribute people and efforts to help North Vietnam fight, and it is a cross-sea battle. The North Vietnamese are so embarrassed that they reimburse the round-trip ferry tickets and so on. As for the specific amount of expenses that can be reimbursed, it depends on Schneider's performance - looking at the faint smile on Schneider's lips, Gu Kai couldn't help but sweat for the North Vietnamese.
"The shipping department and the military industry department should also make corresponding preparations, especially the military industry department. They should seize the time to prepare for war and produce more ammunition and spare guns... In addition, the production of matchlock guns should not stop. After this battle, North Vietnam will We will definitely need to increase our order quantity." Tao Donglai did not forget to remind the managers of the two supporting units.
Good things like the Type 27 flintlock gun are unlikely to be sold to North Vietnam at least in the near future, so even if they have seen its power on the battlefield, they will not be able to buy such "advanced" weapons. Before the Haihan Army officially installs the next generation of weapons, customers like North Vietnam can only purchase the most basic matchlock guns.
Of course, as the first external military operation of the Crossing Group, the discussion at this meeting only touched on the feasibility of military means. The real preparations were much more complicated than what was discussed at the meeting. Just the issue of troop mobilization, which Tao Donglai has been ignoring, is by no means as simple as lip service.
(End of chapter)