April 16, 1927. Moscow, Pravda has great news! And it's a double happiness. First, Trotsky, the most vicious enemy of the proletariat in the world, has finally been expelled from the Bolshevik Party! This was a great victory for the working class all over the world and an important turning point in the march of the world revolution to victory! The second piece of good news confirms this, the great Soviet Red Army, under the personal deployment and wise instructions of Comrade Stalin, the greatest Marxist in the world and the center of the world revolution, has completely wiped out the Chinese White Army entrenched in Zhagaynor! Dealt a severe blow to these minions of imperialism!

The front page of Pravda carried the headline Nikolai . The comment of the editor-in-chief of Bukharin, he wrote like this: "...... The great Soviet Fatherland, which performed a miracle this morning! Is she in the Great Leader Joseph? Vissarionovic? Under the wise leadership of Comrade Stalin, two fierce enemies armed to the teeth were defeated simultaneously in one day! One is the anti-Soviet organization and the Trotskyites, an organization hostile to the dictatorship of the proletariat, which lurks within us. The other was the Chinese White Army, armed to the teeth with arms supplied by imperialism. These two great victories showed that Comrade Stalin is the worthy leader of our Soviet Fatherland...... Under his leadership, in the near future, we will surely be able to see the day when GCISM will be first realized in the USSR! Long live Stalin! Long live the Bolshevik Party! Long live the Soviet Motherland! ”

This commentary, written by Comrade Bukharin himself, immediately spread throughout the world with the red radio waves from Moscow. The leaders of the world's working-class political parties also sent warm congratulatory messages to the Kremlin at the first time.

For a time, the proletarians of the whole world were immersed in the joy of victory...... In addition to the thousands of Russians in the small town of Zalainor, and General Blyukhel, who stood on the high ground outside the town and was surrounded by a group of staff officers. After a night of bloody fighting last night, they had indeed captured the heights of Bald Tail Mountain outside the town of Zalainor, and had captured 80% of the town's land. But there are still four buildings that are almost in ruins, still spitting tongues of fire! The remnants of the Chinese White Army are now relying on these four buildings for their last frantic resistance.

In this day and age, how to capture a reinforced concrete ruin, which was defended to the death by desperate defenders, was a headache for all military commanders. This "fortified fortress", almost buried in rubble and rubble, does not seem to be very afraid of shelling. Heavy artillery shells from the Soviet Red Army hit the dilapidated buildings one after another, but they still stood and refused to collapse. And the Chinese White Army inside seems to have made up its mind to defend to the end, refusing to surrender or coming out to have an open duel with the heroic Soviet Red Army. Just hide under the ruins and shoot wildly with machine guns and rifles non-stop at any Soviet Red Army fighters who try to approach them!

It is now clear to Blyukhel that these Chinese White Army are now in the final madness...... It is only a matter of time before they are eliminated! And he just didn't have much time. Reminders from the Kremlin had almost filled his military pockets. Stalin had already boasted about Haikou, declared that Zalainoll had been captured, and linked this victory with the victory in the struggle against Trotsky! The capture of Zalainorr was an irrefutable proof that the Red Army under his leadership was stronger than the Red Army under Trotsky!

Now Zalainorr is no longer an inconsequential town, but a ...... The face of the great leader Stalin is a symbol of the correctness of Stalin's glorious course. If Blyukhel could not take it as soon as possible and defeat the incoming Kuomintang reinforcements here, Stalin would have been disgraced, and Blyukhel would have lost his life!

"Comrade Commander...... The Revolutionary Military Council has sent another telegram urging you to seize every inch of Zalainor's land at all costs within this day! ”

Chuikov's urging voice sounded in Blyukhel's ears again, and this was already the tenth urging telegram! I can't do it now...... The political commissar of the army group is already arranging arrests, right?

Think of the Cheka Central Organ in the Terrible Lubyanka Building 2! Blyukhel's body trembled slightly unconsciously. GCD people in this era are not fearless. It seems that in the glorious history of the GC-Doctrine movement, there are thousands of martyrs who have persevered under the torture of the enemy, but ...... I haven't heard of anyone who can insist on not confessing under the torture of the Cheka authorities? Blyukhel, who also served as a political commissar, naturally knows how powerful.

"Telegram back to the Revolutionary Military Council and Comrade Stalin, the Red Banner Special Far Eastern Army promised to fulfill the tasks assigned by the Party. Today, we will definitely be completely captured by us! There will never be another Chinese White Army alive here! ”

Now Zalainorr is everything! It is even more important than the Luo Yao National Corps, which is approaching step by step in the east. Originally, according to Blyukhel's plan, the Feng troops who were entrenched in these four buildings should now be put aside for the time being, and a regiment should be assigned to guard them. Then concentrate the main force to meet the Luo Yaoguo Corps advancing westward, as long as they are defeated, Zha Lai Nuoer and Manchuria will not be worried at all. But if you insist on it now...... It's suicide! Blyukhel is still young, with a great future and a good life, but he can't just die young. As for the Luo Yao Legion, Blyukher arranged for an infantry division to go east and build a defensive line between Hulun Lake and the Hailar River to block their westward advance. In addition, a cavalry division was sent to monitor Zhang Xueliang's corps in the direction of Manchuria to prevent them from causing chaos for themselves. And he himself continued to command two infantry divisions to take turns storming the Feng stronghold in the small town of Zhagaunor...... As ordered by the Revolutionary Military Council, it must be completely seized at all costs within today!

...... "The marshal ordered us to break through to the south and retreat eastward, bypassing Hulun Lake. ”

Xi Qia didn't know when he appeared in Zhang Xueliang's bedroom, still holding a copy of the cipher that had just been translated.

Now there is panic in the Fengjun headquarters in Manchuria. They already knew the information about the fall of Zalainor. The whole world knew about it, and they were no exception, and they also contacted the 24th Division guarding there by radio...... The result is no response.

Zhang Xueliang's face was pale now, and he sat on the chair with some malaise, hanging his head, and didn't say a word.

Xi Qia looked at his young master with a dejected look, and frowned slightly: "Young marshal, now that Luo Fuwen's 50,000 soldiers are still heading west, they will soon have a firefight with the Russians...... This is our last chance. I don't think they'll be able to tell the winner in two or three days, and we'll be far away by then. ”

Zhang Xueliang glanced up at Xiqia and sighed lightly: "Can you run away?" We have to bypass Hulun Lake and retreat to Hailar, at least more than 300 kilometers...... At the speed of our march, it is impossible to complete it in five days. At that time, if the Russian Kou defeats Luo Fuwen, I am afraid that they will have arrived before us. If Luo Fuwen wins...... We're going to make people laugh out of their big teeth, who helped my father come up with this idea? ”

Xiqia's face was slightly hot, and the idea seemed to be a telegram he secretly sent to Zhang Zuolin...... "Young marshal, it won't be like this." The information I gave us said that the division brought by Luo Yaoguo was very capable of fighting, and it would not be easily defeated by the Russians, and even if it was defeated, it would probably be a defeat for both sides. At that time, the Russians will no longer be able to enter Hailar, and we will definitely be able to get away. Now that the old commander has hoarded a large number of weapons, equipment and materials in Hailar, we will be able to regroup as long as we get there, and then neither the Soviet Union nor the Kuomintang will have anything to do with us...... If we don't leave now, and wait until Luo Yaoguo is defeated and retreats to Hailar, then the Russians will come to attack the city. How many days can we keep it then? In case you are caught by the Russians, how anxious the old man should be! You can't be so unfilial! ”

"Then how about we and Luo Fuwen have something to attack the Russians?" Zhang Xueliang looked at the teacher Xiqia, his eyes full of hesitation. In all fairness, Zhang Xueliang is indeed a hot-blooded young man, and he still loves the country and the nation very much. Merely...... When it really comes time to go out and fight with a strong enemy, it is often hesitant and difficult to make a decision.

The east-west confrontation was the original decisive battle plan, which was determined by Zhang Xueliang and Luo Yaoguo after repeated consultations through telegrams. However, the plan at that time was made on the basis of being able to hold on to Zalainor, and now Zalainorr has "fallen". If the Russians lose their containment, they can also take advantage of the favorable terrain in Zalainorr to block the [***] team with one force, and then concentrate their forces to fight a decisive battle with the other. Under these circumstances, Zhang Xueliang's determination had been shaken, and he was unwilling to take the risk of annihilation.

"Young marshal...... Now there are at least 50,000 Russians in Zalainor! There may even be as many as sixty or seventy thousand. If they hold off Luo Yaoguo's army with 10,000 men, the rest will come and fight us first...... Then we'll be wiped out. At that time, this northeast will be the world of Luo Yaoguo and the Kuomintang. ”

Xiqia's words also sound from the bottom of his heart. Now the defeat of the Feng army is certain, but as long as it is not destroyed, the situation can be restored. If once the main force is destroyed...... Then this Northeast will not be surnamed Zhang!

"Then how are we going to reply to Luo Fuwen?" There seemed to be a trace of pain on Zhang Xueliang's face. If it weren't for the sake of preserving his strength and planning for the future, he would have been eager to go out to fight! But who will guard this northeast? Who will defend me? Now the Russians have made it clear that they have no ambitions for the Northeast and are not the real enemies of China, so they ...... Xi Qia exhaled softly, a hint of eager fire in his eyes. He smiled coldly, gritted his teeth and said, "We can tell Luo Yaoguo that our army will send the whole army out to cooperate with him to fight against the Russians!" ”

…… In the sixteenth year of the Republic of China, the afternoon of April 16. The town of Sagagang to the east of Zhalainor.

Luo Yaoguo's former enemy headquarters was located in the railway station of Shenggang Town. Radio antennas were erected high, and large military maps were hung in the waiting room. The staff officers went in and out to pass all kinds of information and orders, and Luo Yaoguo, a group of senior generals and military advisers, gathered in the war room to hold the last military meeting before the war.

"Aviation reconnaissance shows that the Russians have built a very thin defensive line between Hulun Lake and Hailar River west of Zhalainur, and there is only about one infantry division or so on about 18 kilometers of defense line. And...... Air Force reconnaissance also found that there seemed to be a constant column of smoke rising in the direction of Zhalainor, and it seemed that the fighting was not completely over. ”

Yan Wuzheng, a senior staff officer of the staff group, was holding the report he had just received and was explaining to everyone the latest situation on the front line. When the air force found out that there was still a suspicious battle going on, his face also showed a hint of joy.

“…… Major Marshal Zhang in Manchuria has also called back to reply, and they will all send out seven divisions plus a heavy artillery regiment to the east to cooperate with us in a decisive battle with the enemy of Zha Lai Nuoer! However, they may need a little more time to prepare, and hopefully we can attack first. ”

"Inform Manchuria and Yanjing of the situation that there is still fighting in Zhalainur." Luo Yaoguo seemed to suddenly think of something happy, smiled slightly, and said: "This time, the Soviet Stalin's and Pravda have said a lot, if it is exposed, it will be embarrassing, I guess our opponent is really busy gnawing that hard bone at this time, right?" ”

At this time, Yan Wu had already used red and blue pencils to outline the defense line of the Soviet Red Army on the military map. On the endless flat steppe, a twenty-kilometer line of defense, held by about 10,000 Soviet Red Army, did not yet have strong fortifications. This time, the Soviets are indeed a little too supportive, it is estimated that the troops are insufficient, and they are too light on the enemy, right?

"The Hubei Railway Station should be an important support point for the Russian defense line, but there is basically no danger to defend on a large grassland south of the railway station to Hulun Lake...... Mr. Guderian, how about you choose to break through three to six kilometers south of Hubei Station? ”

Luo Yaoguo looked at the defense line of the Soviet Red Army drawn with red pencil on the map, and smiled at Guderian who was eager to try. This time, the Soviet Red Army was almost cooperating with Guderian, and how could it be possible to withstand the onslaught of the armored forces with such a thin long snake formation?

Guderian smiled proudly and cocked his mustache: "General Luo, your suggestion is good, I'll break through from there, sixty tanks, forty armored personnel carriers, plus a regiment of infantry, in an hour I can rush into the town of Zalainor!" ”

“…… Sihua, you command the infantry of the 18th Division to follow behind the armored brigade to break through, and then divide a regiment to outflank the Hubei station from behind the enemy's defensive line. The rest of the troops followed the armored brigade to the town of Zalainor, trying to bring the Russians into disarray...... Brother Xiaohou (Yu Xuezhong), your 3rd Division attacked the Russian defense line from the front after the armored brigade broke through, and tried to completely defeat this division. The time for the attack was set for eight o'clock this evening. The artillery began to prepare for 10 minutes of artillery fire at 8 o'clock, focusing on bombarding a section between three and five kilometers south of the Hubei station......"

Luo Yaoguo picked up the attack plan that Rommel had just drafted, deployed the entire combat mission, and then watched everyone quietly. After being silent for a while, he added:

"Ladies and gentlemen, this battle is the first time that our National Revolutionary Army has fought a national war! And also in the face of our most ferocious and insidious enemy, Russia! This country is the enemy who has seized the most of our territory in history, and even now they are the imperialist countries that occupy the most of our territory. More than 2 million square kilometers of fertile land in Outer Mongolia is still occupied by this self-proclaimed socialist country, and they are still eyeing the northeast of our province. Now, if we defeat us here and let them see the strength of the [***] team, maybe there will be peace for a few years in the future...... We can use this precious time to build up our heavy industry and base areas in the south to cope with another invasion by the two imperialists of the Red and White imperialisms in the future! Gentlemen, for the sake of the country, for the sake of the nation, for the sake of our party, and for the sake of our own future, please fight this battle well! ”

…… Seeing the backs of the generals leaving, Luo Yaoguo's brows furrowed tightly. This battle with the Soviet Red Army seemed to be a win-win affair...... But will Stalin give up? And after defeating the Red Army in front of him, how should he end up next? Is it to take advantage of the victory to pursue and cross the Sino-Soviet border? If so, how far should the war go? At present, the Soviet Union seems to be more energetic than in history, and it is still unrelenting even when Zhang Xueliang has agreed to return the Middle Road and realize the Sino-Soviet condominium, and now it is even more united with the victory of the Middle East Road and the struggle against Trotsky. It's getting more and more complicated, and it seems that it is impossible to end the war easily without using that secret hole card.

Thinking of this, a trace of coldness flashed in Luo Yaoguo's eyes, and a faint sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth. It took a lot of effort to get this secret hole card to work, and now it's time to put it to work.

"Yuanliang!" Luo Yaoguo suddenly shouted Sun Yuanliang's name. Although this person cannot fight, he is still very reliable in other aspects, for example, the Sun Wenism Society is doing a good job now, and has recruited many elite elements among the Whampoa students to participate.

"The students are here." Sun Yuanliang answered and walked in from outside the door, stood respectfully in front of Luo Yaoguo, gave a military salute cleanly, and stood there solemnly, waiting for Luo Yaoguo's order.

Luo Yaoguo glanced at Sun Yuanliang, there was no expression on his face, he just said a few words coldly: "Send a telegram to Wu Ziliang, the director of the Military Intelligence Bureau, and tell him to start the 'shooting plan' now." ”

(To be continued)