Chapter 287 Triumph
At the request of the North Vietnamese military, the stationing and resting place of the Haihan militia was also changed from the previous coalition position to the north bank of Zhengjiang River in order to strengthen the defensive strength of the front line of Zhengjiang River. Although the supply line was extended by dozens of miles as a result, with the assistance of more than a dozen shipping ships, it was not too troublesome to transport supplies from Yong'an Port at the rear. With a journey of fifty or sixty nautical miles, the sailboat can make a round trip on the same day under normal weather conditions, and the transportation volume can fully meet the material consumption of the Haihan Militia.
Of course, this level of transportation can only meet the consumption of the Hai Han militia. However, in addition to the two thousand people from Hai Han, there are tens of thousands of North Vietnamese troops and more than 10,000 South Vietnamese prisoners on the Zhengjiang defense line. . Just eating horses and chewing horses every day consumes a huge amount of supplies, which puts considerable pressure on the North Vietnamese Army's logistical supplies. The North Vietnamese military did not have as strong a sea transport capability as Hai Han. Most supplies could only be transported in sections by land, and the efficiency was completely incomparable with sea transport.
The North Vietnamese Army is also very conflicted now. On the one hand, they want to send away the Haihan people as soon as possible. After all, if these uncles stay here for one more day, they will have to calculate one more day's combat expenses, which can be converted into about ten thousand taels of silver. Moreover, all kinds of supplies must be given priority to the Haihan Militia, and the food used is better than ordinary officers of the North Vietnamese Army. All military deployments also need to be approved by the coalition command. It is really troublesome to support these uncles.
But on the other hand, they were worried that South Vietnam would immediately launch a counterattack after the Haihan people withdrew. Without the artillery cover of the Haihan people, it was hard to say whether their own thousands of musketry troops could sustain the situation. It is not difficult to ask the Haihan people to leave now, but next time we encounter a passive situation, it may not be so easy to ask them to take action.
The North Vietnamese generals headed by Zheng Bai really wanted to continue fighting south, but the problem was that objective conditions did not allow the North Vietnamese army to do so. In addition to the fact that the army needs time to rest and recuperate after a long battle, there are also troubles such as material supply and prisoner processing. The most important thing is that the Haihan people seem to have no intention to continue attacking south for the time being. If the Haihan people don't want to move, then the chance of winning this battle is not great.
The lesson of the South Vietnamese Army being intercepted and killed on the north bank of the Zhengjiang River is still vivid in our minds, and the North Vietnamese Army is now fully aware of the power of hot weapons in interception battles. If the offensive fails after the battle and they want to retreat to the north bank to defend themselves, they will have to have the Haihan gunboat fleet cover them from the river to ensure safety.
As Zheng Bai and others expected, Haihan had indeed begun to prepare to call it a day and go home. At this point in the war, the strategic goals that can be achieved have basically been achieved. For goals that are really unachievable, such as annihilating the South Vietnamese musketeers, it is impossible to rush. Black Earth Port and Victory Port now basically rely on militia reserves to maintain security and defense, and most of the people in the Military and Police Department who can fight have also come out this time. The defense forces of the two places can be said to be the weakest period in history. There are so many It was good luck that nothing happened.
After learning that the Civil War was over, the Executive Committee also decided that in addition to a small number of military advisers stationed on the Zhengjiang front line, the large militia troops and the civilian men recruited in the two places should withdraw to their bases as soon as possible after resting.
In addition to continuing to monitor the movements of South Vietnam and instructing the North Vietnamese Army to build various fortifications on the north bank of Zhengjiang River, the personnel stationed on the front line of Zhengjiang River also need to negotiate with the top brass of the North Vietnamese Army on follow-up matters such as inventory of battle results, calculation of combat military expenditures, etc. These relatively trivial matters cannot be dealt with in less than ten days and a half. According to the estimates of the Military and Police Department, there will be a lot of quarrels between the two sides after the war, especially when it comes to the calculation of military expenditures. Both sides will definitely put aside their previous attitude of sincere cooperation and try their best to find fault with the other side's statistics.
No one is willing to take on this troublesome matter, especially the guys in the military and police department who are in charge of killing and not burying them. They are not willing to come forward to deal with those trivial matters at all. Feng Annan and Mu Xiabai had spent more time in contact with the North Vietnamese military and were originally the most suitable candidates for this task. However, they immediately stated that they did not work hard in school and never passed mathematics, so they were not suitable for statistics and accounting. work.
Once these two guys retreated, Qian Tiandun was the only person in charge of the senior military and police personnel stationed in North Vietnam. With no choice but to push, Qian Tiandun had no choice but to admit it, but he did not forget to drag people into the water and kept Xie Chun from the Shipping Department as his assistant. Xie Chun was a little reluctant at first, but when Qian Tiandun said that the special battle company would stay in Zhengjiang for a period of special water training, he immediately changed his mind and agreed to stay. Of course, the condition was that he could also participate. In the training plan - even if he can't get into the establishment of the Military and Police Department, Xie Chun still wants to seize every opportunity to live out his addiction as a soldier. What's more, the existence of the special operations company clearly shows that it is the prototype of the elite military and police force in the future. Being able to hang out with this group of people is also a rare qualification.
On February 10, after completing the handover of positions with the North Vietnamese army, the first batch of returning ships left the east coast of Vietnam carrying hundreds of combatants and civilians affiliated with the base camp and embarked on their return journey. The next day, another fleet carrying combatants belonging to Black Earth Port also set out, heading north along the coastline and back to Black Earth Port. At this point, the cross-sea expedition of the Crossing Group, which lasted for more than 20 days, finally came to an end.
The retreat of the Haihan people also made the North Vietnamese army secretly relieved. This group of uncles had been fighting for less than a month, and they had consumed at least six or seven times the amount of supplies as the North Vietnamese army. It’s okay if the treatment of soldiers is better. After all, they are people who have to fight hard, but the civilian husbands of the Haihan people are better fed and clothed than the soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army, which makes many people feel unbalanced. There were even many civilians who were recruited from the North Vietnamese army and were privately asking how they could join the Haihan people and live a "good life without worries about food and clothing."
As for the issue of differences in treatment, no one has the deepest experience than the auxiliary army led by Zheng Ting, which was trained by Haihan Military Advisor. During the Do Son training camp, the North Vietnamese training officers headed by Zheng Dinh had many opportunities to eat and live with Hai Han's military advisers and observe the daily training of Hai Han militia. From that time on, Zheng Ting and others realized the huge gap in military strength between the two sides.
This gap is not only reflected in the performance of weapons, but also in training methods, management methods, military treatment, and views on combat and war. There is a big gap between the two sides. Taking salary as an example, the pay of Hai Han militiamen is about three times that of ordinary North Vietnamese soldiers, which is the same as that of officers at the 100th level. The militiamen stationed in Tushan training camp also have additional garrison allowances, training allowances, etc. The various incomes added together are almost equivalent to those of a general-level officer.
In addition to high salaries, these Haihan militiamen can also receive farmland distributed by the Haihan Executive Committee after returning to their local areas after completing three to five years of military service. In contrast, the North Vietnamese soldiers did not have such a good life. Most of the North Vietnamese soldiers had their life trajectory determined from the moment they joined the army. Their fate could only be to go to hell in one way or another. They were kicked out when they were disabled. There were very few soldiers who could really survive until they were old and weak before retiring. Moreover, apart from receiving a meager retirement pay, these personnel who were cleared from the army will not receive any other resettlement measures, which is completely incomparable to Haihan.
In terms of calculating military merit, the Haihan Militia's method is much more practical than that of the North Vietnamese Army. As long as the combatants complete the scheduled combat missions, the collective military merit can be recorded according to the size of the merit, rather than the number of heads used by the North Vietnamese. A primitive and crude way of recording merit. In addition to recording meritorious service, the Haihan people are said to have a "medal of honor" specially awarded to soldiers who have fought bravely and made great contributions. After retirement, they can even become local officials with the medal. This is something unimaginable in the North Vietnamese Army - —No matter how high the military merit is, it is only limited to the military system.
The Zheng family who made their fortune in the army is a good example. Although the Qing Dynasty King Zheng Jie actually controls the North Vietnamese regime, it is because of Zheng's military background that he cannot be recognized by the civil service system and the privileged class in Annan. He has been unable to correct himself, and can only control the government in the name of "regent", but cannot sit on the throne confidently.
The North Vietnamese officers did not dare to draw conclusions as to whether the Haihan people's approach was right or wrong, but the combat effectiveness of the Haihan militia was indeed fully demonstrated in this battle. After several initial battles, the North Vietnamese officers were still somewhat complacent and thought they had done a good job. Even if they replaced the Haihan militiamen, they probably could not do better. However, the battles in the last two days really opened their eyes. vision.
Compared with the achievements of the CCP Army in the early stages of building coalition positions, the enemy-killing efficiency of the Hai Han Militia in the final stage can only be described by words such as brutal and invincible in the eyes of North Vietnamese officers. In the struggle for the riverside In some areas, the corpses of the South Vietnamese soldiers killed by the Haihan militiamen from the ships were even laid out on several floors. Some of the corpses torn apart by artillery shells were even more horrific. The North Vietnamese soldiers, who had only killed hundreds of enemies in the previous battles, were exposed to hot weapons. The true power of combat.
Moreover, these officers also knew very well that such a record could not be achieved by themselves in any way through training - the performance of the guns used by the Haihan people was much better than those sold to North Vietnam, whether it was loading efficiency, accuracy or In terms of range, there is a big gap between the weapons of both sides. As for the gap at the tactical level, it is even greater. The North Vietnamese officers have all seen the drills of the Hai Han Militia. The tactics used are completely different from those learned by the North Vietnamese trained troops. The firepower density and shooting frequency are also unmatched by the matchlock guns. In addition, in this actual combat, the Han militia's ability in constructing fortifications was enough to scare these students. If they were to deal with fortifications like the coalition positions, even the North Vietnamese trained troops equipped with muskets and artillery did not dare to say that they could do so. Half a chance of winning.
If North Vietnam had any advantage, it would probably be the number of combat troops. Even a blind person can see how much Hai Han officers value these militia soldiers. Every time a soldier is injured or killed in battle, Hai Han officers' faces look very ugly, which is a sight that is absolutely unseen in the North Vietnamese Army. The North Vietnamese officers saw this very clearly and knew that this must be because the scale of the Hai Han militia was too small. If there were a lot of casualties, the Hai Han people would not be able to afford to lose. Of course, what they didn't expect was that the Haihan people had almost emptied their homes for this battle, and more than 70% of the combatants were sent to the front line. The combatants were far more valuable than they imagined. On February 14, the expedition fleet returning to Victory Port slowly sailed into the harbor under the guidance of two Yazhou water village warships. This return was not as quiet as the departure. After the executive committee confirmed the time for the fleet to return, it notified all units to take a half-day holiday, organized people to go to the port to welcome the triumphant returning expeditionary force, and also arranged A series of follow-up labor content.
Nearly four thousand people came to the port to welcome the return of the Haihan militia. Relevant departments also prepared manpower early to create a scene at the port where gongs and drums were noisy, colorful flags were flying, and the entire public welcomed the victory of the soldiers.
Amidst the applause, Yan Chujie, the commander-in-chief of this operation, took the lead to walk down the gangway and saluted the executive committee members waiting on the dock before shaking hands with everyone.
"Thank you for your hard work!" Tao Donglai held Yan Chujie's hand tightly and said: "This operation was completed beautifully! The executive committee will award awards to all combatants later!"
"You have worked hard too. If it weren't for you watching over our home, we wouldn't be able to fight with peace of mind outside." Yan Chujie also exchanged a few pleasantries in a cooperative manner.
What was then unloaded on the shore were some of the spoils of this combat operation. This method, which can greatly boost the morale of the people, is something that the Executive Committee and the Military and Police Department will definitely not miss. If you just tell the people that they won the battle, the people may have doubts in their hearts, but after showing the evidence, these doubts will be wiped away, and they will be convinced that the Haihan militia has really achieved a big victory overseas. win.
In addition to the captured South Vietnamese weapons, armor, military flags, etc., the trophies also included more than 200 South Vietnamese prisoners tied into long strings. The transportation capacity was limited, and only a few prisoners could be transported back symbolically to be used as displays. In addition, more than 20 wooden boxes were specially opened to show the people the real money and silver contained inside. It is true that some of them were property seized from the enemy by the Haihan Militia during the battle, but Most of it was actually a down payment for military expenses paid by the North Vietnamese regime to Hai Han.
According to the prior agreement between the two parties, after Haihan's army arrived at Yong'an Port, North Vietnam paid 50,000 taels of silver to Haihan in advance as military expenses. After the battle for Jiang ended and before the Haihan militia left, North Vietnam paid another 50,000 taels of military expenses in accordance with the agreement. As for how much of the remaining balance can be recovered later, and what method of payment or discount method will be used, Qian Tiandun and others can only slowly argue with the other party.
But not counting the remaining balance, the money recovered alone would already have a substantial surplus after offsetting this expense. According to the current rough calculations of the Military and Police Department, the total time on the road for this expedition is 27 days, and the material consumption plus personnel expenses are approximately between 32,000 and 36,000 yuan. If you include the post-war pensions and rewards for casualties and combat role models, it would only be about 45,000 yuan at most, making a solid profit of half and half. It is really like being a high-paying mercenary. No matter how much can be recovered later, it will be a net profit for the Cross Travel Group.
Moreover, after this battle, the North Vietnamese military realized the power of the hot weapon troops, and inevitably tightened their belts and continued to purchase weapons from the Crossing Group and hired military consultants to train new troops. The economic and political benefits that can be brought about by the follow-up of this operation are currently difficult to estimate, but they will definitely be enough to make the executive committee members smile from ear to ear.
Once the real money and silver were revealed, no one doubted the authenticity of the victory of the Haihan Militia. The people cheered loudly, and the excitement was no less lively than the previous Victory Harbor Parade. With the fighting power of our own militia, the people no longer have to worry about the pirates that appeared along the coast of Hainan in previous years.
Luo Shengdong was also keen on seeing it. After finally waiting for Yan Chujie to shake hands with the executive committee members, he immediately came over and said, "Mr. Yan, with such a good thing about getting rich, why don't you bring me along with you? Even if you have to guard this victory port. , I can also separate a few ships to go with Mr. Yan to help in the battle in Annan!"
Next to him, Ning Qi smiled and said: "Luo Shengdong, you are quite courageous. As an official of the imperial court, you actually dare to start a war with another country privately!"
Luo Shengdong said disapprovingly: "Mr. Ning, I'm just going out to sea to suppress bandits and fulfilling the mission of navy officers and soldiers! How can those ignorant officials above know if we are going to war with other countries?"
Yan Chujie reached out and patted him on the shoulder and said: "Mr. Luo Qian, don't worry. When has your effort been in vain? You looked after the Victory Port for us, and you will naturally be rewarded."
Yan Chujie raised his hand and pointed to the back and said: "Did you see that? More than two hundred prisoners are still alive. You can take them to report your merits, or to charge up local unsolved cases. You can do anything. Later, these people will be handed over to you. Handled.”
Luo Shengdong didn't expect Yan Chujie to have such an arrangement, and he hesitated for a while and said: "Isn't this... inappropriate?"
"Isn't that too few?" Yan Chujie misunderstood what he meant: "You can tell me how much you want. This time we captured more than 10,000 people in the local area. We will definitely transport many more prisoners of war one after another. At least there will be enough to transport them." You have been promoted to defense.”
Yan Chujie's words scared Luo Shengdong so much that he almost stopped standing - captured more than 10,000 people? How big of a battle did this vigilante group fight? Besides, even if Yan Chujie was willing to give someone to him, Luo Shengdong didn't dare to accept it casually. He had been promoted to two levels in less than a year from last year to now, and he was already a popular figure among the entire Qiongzhou garrison. He would get hundreds more heads. In exchange for military honors, wouldn't this mean that all the colleagues on Qiongzhou Island would be offended? Not right, not right, hugely wrong.
(End of chapter)