Chapter 413: Governor of the Far East
One soldier is raging, and the generals are raging.
Under the command of Suvorov, the Cossacks were indeed invincible, and they made each other famous.
Under the command of Kuropatkin, the Cossacks could not even defeat the Japanese and were called the sick men of Europe.
Before the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, the Russian Empire’s military expenditure was ten times that of Japan, and its per capita income was also ten times that of Japan. It could build all warships including battleships.
Japan started the war with borrowed money and lacked domestic resources. Coal for warships had to be purchased from abroad. It could only build warships of no more than 3,000 tons domestically.
No matter how you look at it, it is impossible for the Russian Empire to lose this war.
Even the Japanese themselves did not expect that the war could be fought like this.
Before Dongxiang attacked the Pacific Fleet, he flew the "Z" flag, which means "the rise and fall of the empire, in one fell swoop."
The Russians cannot understand Japan’s courage to risk everything.
However, Japan, which is deeply influenced by Chinese culture, can find countless precedents in Chinese history.
Although the Japanese have theoretical support, they rely on luck until now.
Naval University instructor Tetsuta Sato, who personally participated in the Russo-Japanese War, was once asked this question by his students: What was the reason for Japan’s victory in the Russo-Japanese War?
Sato replied: Forty percent depends on luck.
Students asked: What about the remaining 60%?
Sato: Still lucky!
Luck is a thing, it contains too much idealism.
George has always thought that his luck is quite good.
Let’s see who God favors more.
At the same time that Witte arrived in Vladivostok, Kuropatkin, under pressure from St. Petersburg, finally launched a counterattack against the Japanese army.
However, Kuropatkin's counterattack was very unsuccessful. Not only did he fail to drive the Japanese army out of Kanto, but he also lost Fengtian.
The two base camps of the Russian army in Kwantung are the Arthur Fortress for the navy and Fengtian for the army.
Kuropatkin made the same mistake as Stessel. During the retreat, he still did not destroy the supplies hoarded by Fengtian.
At this point, Vladimir still refused to admit defeat and appointed Infantry Lieutenant General Linevich, commander of the First Kwantung Army, as commander-in-chief of the Russian Army in Kwantung.
Nicholas did not interfere in the work of the War Department.
But he can't continue to let Vladimir do whatever he wants.
On the day after Vladimir appointed Linevich as the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army in Kwantung, Nicholas appointed George as the Governor-General of the Far East, whose jurisdiction included the Amur Governor-General and the Kanto Governor-General.
This appointment is normal.
After Alexeyev was recalled, the post of Governor of Kwantung has been pending.
Nicholas once wanted Vladimir to serve as governor of Kwantung, but Vladimir decisively refused.
After Fengtian was lost, half of the so-called Kanto Governor-General was lost, and the next loss was Bingcheng, the hub of the China-Eastern Railway.
Vladimir can be willful.
Nicholas could not gamble with the fate of the empire.
Linevich was very smart. After receiving the appointment, he tried his best to save the situation. However, because he had not slept for two days and two nights in a row, he became ill from overwork.
Linevich was seriously ill and fell into a deep coma. No matter what methods the doctors used, they could not wake him up.
Nicholas decided again to appoint George as the commander-in-chief of the Russian Army in Kwantung.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army in Kwantung and the Governor-General of the Far East are two completely different positions. The Commander-in-Chief is a military position, and the Governor-General is a civilian position.
This decision triggered strong opposition from Vladimir, and a fierce quarrel broke out at the ministers' meeting.
"George has no actual combat experience and is not qualified for this position. Nikki should be allowed to go to the Far East."
Vladimir proposed that Nicholas Jr. be the commander-in-chief of Kwantung.
"Are you forcing me to get sick?"
Little Nicholas burst into flames.
When George and Nikolai were serving in the Guards, Nikolai Jr. and Sergei served as commanders of the General and Regiment regiments respectively. Nikolay Jr. had not yet recovered from the grief of Sergei’s assassination. Come out.
Nicholas sat in the main seat, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.
Nikolai has been in a bad mood recently, not just because of Sergei's assassination.
Ya San is opposed to Nicholas marrying Alex. One of the important reasons is hemophilia.
After Alexei was born, he was diagnosed with hemophilia and would most likely die before reaching adulthood.
Hemophilia is an incurable disease. Queen Alex’s brother and two nephews all died of hemophilia. This disease only affects male members.
Russia is in chaos, the Russo-Japanese War is retreating steadily, the only son is suffering from an incurable disease, and the royal family members are still busy fighting for power-
Nicholas now wants to kill someone.
"Then let Rozhdestvinsky serve as the commander of Kwantung. In short, power cannot be concentrated too much in the hands of one person, even if that person is George!"
Vladimir insisted.
Vice Admiral Rozhdestvensky is the commander-in-chief of the Second Fleet and is on his way to the Far East.
But this is not a good suggestion, because Rozhdestvensky had been ill some time ago and luckily survived.
Rozhdestvensky requested to resign when he was ill, but St. Petersburg did not approve it.
Deputy Commander Foxam was not so lucky. He really died of illness on the way. Rozhdestvinsky did not announce it in order to avoid affecting morale——
So the Second Fleet actually Losing the deputy commander.
In this case, once Rozhdestvinsky is killed in battle, or is unable to command operations -
The tragedy of the Pacific Fleet's breakout will be repeated.
“The Second Fleet needs the support of the Siberian Fleet to successfully reach Vladivostok.”
Alexey also has appeals.
Alexei’s purpose is not to support the Siberian Fleet, but to return the command of the Siberian Fleet to the Imperial Navy.
Fortress Arthur fell and the entire Pacific Fleet was annihilated.
The warships of the Black Sea Fleet have proven to be unsuitable for the maritime conditions in the Pacific region. If he loses the Baltic Fleet again, Alexey will become a bare minister.
At this time, the Siberian fleet that won the Vladivostok naval battle some time ago became even more precious.
“No one should try to take advantage of the Siberian Fleet—”
Nicholas spoke slowly.
“——The Siberian Fleet belongs to George!”
“The Siberian Fleet belongs to the Empire!”
Alexei fought hard.
"The empire is your empire, it is George's empire, it is my empire!"
Nicholas broke out completely, and he was no longer the Nikolai before.
In the past, Nicholas valued family ties and was kind to everyone around him.
After Alexey was diagnosed, Nikolai's temperament changed drastically. He could not even protect the people he valued most. The status of others, including George, in Nikolai's heart was rapidly declining.
After all, there is a difference between closeness and distance.
“You told me a year ago that the Japanese macaques were a joke. Just throw a hat and you could knock the Japanese to the ground——”
Nikolai’s eyes are like the Siberian steppe As fierce as a wolf, he swept across the faces of his uncles and brothers one by one.
“——Port Arthur fell, the Pacific Fleet was annihilated, and Fengtian fell—Where is next? Vladivostok? Moscow? Or St. Petersburg? You and I will have to take it by then. Take up arms and go to war!”
“If necessary, I will!”
Vladimir is righteous.
"Then go! I will appoint you as the governor of the Far East now, will you go?"
Nicholas was furious, and his uncle broke his heart.
“Of course I would like to go—”
Vladimir was backed into a corner.
"What if we can't win this war?"
Nicholas asked Vladimir to issue a military order.
“That must be God’s will——”
Vladimir spread his hands, who can resist God.
Nicholas was almost furious, and it took him a long time to get over it.
"If we can win this war, you and I can still enjoy glory and wealth in St. Petersburg - if not, you know the consequences."
After Nicholas finished speaking, he walked away.
Later, Queen Mother Maria took the initiative to call Nicholas and summoned Nicholas to the Gatchina Palace.
“Nikki, my poor Nikki——”
Maria stroked Nikolai’s thin cheek, with tears in her eyes.
"If the empire is defeated, only one person will take responsibility, and that person is you-"
Maria had to intervene, this was also her empire.
“Mom, I’m so tired—I’m so tired—”
Nicola lay on Maria’s lap, exhausted both physically and mentally.
"Although I still don't like George, I have to say that your father is right. If anyone can save this war, then that person must be George."
He would have been surprised if George had been there.
George himself didn’t know that Ya San had such a high opinion of him.
Nicholas said nothing and continued to lie motionless on Maria's lap.
"I have said long ago that your uncles are idiots and they are all vampires of the empire. You should learn from your grandfather and your father and let them all go fishing."
Maria This is also inappropriate.
After Yaer and Yasan succeeded to the throne, the imperial uncles were marginalized one after another. That was because Yaer and Yasan had many brothers.
Nikolai’s three younger brothers, Alexander died early, Georgi died of illness, leaving only one Mikhail, and he still misses the queen’s brother’s ex-wife every day——
If Nicholas didn't rely on his uncles, who would he rely on?
By Sudjeykin and Prakheva -
They were both killed by assassins.
"It has been ten years since you last went to Vladivostok -"
Maria is really ruthless. In order to win over George, she can even send her son away.
Nikolai only visited Vladivostok once when he traveled around the world as an adult.
“Vladivostok has the best medical skills in the empire, why don’t you take Alexei to try it?”
Maria is really nice to Alexei , better than Nikolai.
Kiss from another generation.
"Yes! Damn it! How could I forget Vladivostok!"
Nikolai was in great spirits.
Back then, Yasan and Maria sought help from famous doctors in Europe for Georgi's condition, but there was still no improvement.
Although the Vladivostok Hospital failed to cure Georgi's disease, Georgi's health improved greatly in the last few years of his life and he was even able to go hunting.
Georgi's condition worsened precisely because he caught cold while hunting.
This is also my own doing.
(End of this chapter)