Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Battle of the Yalu River (1)
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When the news reached St. Petersburg that Japan had attacked the Russian ships stationed at Lüshun Port and Chemulpo without a declaration of war,
Unlike the original history where Tsar Nicholas II and the Russian nobles denied reality, insisting Japan would never do such a thing, they were able to accept the situation with remarkable composure.
"Heinrich and Baron Hans von Choi were right. Japan has finally bared its fangs at our Russian Empire!"
That said, the Tsar did not hold back his fury.
In any case, from the moment the Russian Empire decided to accept Germany's military support, it began moving according to the preparations it had made in advance.
This was why War Minister Kuropatkin had been appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian Far East Army and was able to arrive in the Far East before the Russo-Japanese War even broke out.
The moment Kuropatkin arrived in the Far East, he began preparing defense plans without even unpacking his bags.
Of course, Admiral Alexeyev, who had just taken up the post of Viceroy of the Far East, subtly coveted Kuropatkin's command authority, but Kuropatkin had no intention of handing it over to the greedy and incompetent admiral.
Like Witte, Kuropatkin despised Admiral Alexeyev and the Bezobrazov faction.
In any event, now in overall command of the Russian Far East Army, Kuropatkin prepared to face the Japanese forces.
Kuropatkin's goal was to drag the war into a prolonged conflict and end it with a peace treaty favorable to Russia.
And in his hands, he held German-made weapons including the MG99, peculiar defensive structures called crescent barbed wire, and a large contingent of German military observers dispatched to the Far East in preparation for any contingencies.
The German officers, under orders from Chief of the General Staff Schlieffen to ensure the Russian army never collapsed, advised Kuropatkin to dig trenches, lay mines, and build a solid defensive line.
No matter how excellent the German weapons they provided, to the German war machine, the state of the Russian Far East Army was far from even passably good.
If they charged recklessly like this, it was far more likely they'd lose precious weapons and get smashed by the Japanese than repel them.
That was why the German observers told the Russian officers to abandon any thoughts of counterattacks and focus on defense.
Of course, the Russian officers bristled at the arrogance of these Germans looking down on them, but Kuropatkin readily accepted the German observers' advice.
Even in the original history, Kuropatkin—whose excessive caution contributed to Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War—preferred the far safer option of focusing on defense over risky maneuvers.
The next question was where exactly to establish the defensive line.
'It would be ideal to build a defensive line centered on Korea...'
Korea was a natural fortress with its abundance of mountains and rivers.
Setting up defenses there would make it much easier to hold off the Japanese.
Unfortunately for Kuropatkin, building a defensive line on the Korean Peninsula was impossible.
The reason was political and diplomatic.
The great powers, led by Britain, would never tolerate a massive Russian army stationed in Korea constructing defenses.
And so Kuropatkin's gaze shifted to Uiju, located at the lower reaches of the Yalu River, which marked the border between Korea and Manchuria.
Uiju had long served as a key trading hub connecting China and Korea, and during the First Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese army had passed through Uiju to enter Manchuria.
Thus, Kuropatkin predicted that, with Lüshun and Fengtian as their primary targets just like in the Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese advance route wouldn't differ much from back then.
"Building a defensive line at Uiju... No, that could leave us fighting with our backs to the Yalu River. Supplies would face major disruptions too."
It might work for a simple delaying action, but from a long-term perspective, setting up defenses at Uiju with the Yalu at their backs was far from ideal.
With that, Kuropatkin cleanly abandoned the defense of Uiju.
Instead, he decided to establish the defensive line in the Andong area—directly across the Yalu River from Uiju (modern-day Dandong).
Whether the Japanese crossed the Yalu toward Lüshun or Fengtian, they would have to pass through Andong.
Moreover, fortifying Andong would allow easy coordination with the Russian defenses in the Nanshan and Jinzhou areas guarding against Japanese landings at Dalian.
"Then, gentlemen, pick up your shovels."
At Kuropatkin's order to dig trenches and build defenses, the Russian Far East Army began excavating the frozen ground amid the biting winter winds.
The Germans watching shook their heads at the horrific cold winds from Manchuria and Siberia, retreating into warm tents, but to the bulk of the Far East Army—mostly Siberian natives—this was nothing.
As time passed, the Russian trenches spread like a spiderweb, encroaching on the Andong area.
And in each trench and strongpoint, crescent barbed wire, mines, and machine guns were deployed in massive quantities.
The German observers, emerging from their tents wrapped in blankets and shivering in the cold, watched the Russian defenses with keen interest.
Trench warfare itself wasn't new—they'd been used in sieges for ages—but a large-scale trench defense like this was a first even for them.
How effective would it be?
Any soldier couldn't help but feel a thrill.
Late April, as winter gave way to spring.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!
Finally, Lt. Gen. Kuroki Tamemoto's Japanese 1st Army arrived at Uiju.
"No sign of the Russians."
Arriving at Uiju, Commander Kuroki muttered as he surveyed the place, utterly devoid of even a Russian flag.
The Russians must have anticipated they'd come here.
Thus, Lt. Gen. Kuroki had expected a large Russian defensive force at Uiju and prepared accordingly.
Yet the Russians seemed to have simply abandoned it—no sign of them anywhere.
"Your Excellency. Scouts report the Russians have set up defenses across the Yalu in the Andong area."
"Andong? Like the Qing army during the Sino-Japanese War?"
Back then, Japan had crushed the Qing decisively.
The Qing had built a 16 km defensive line along the Yalu with over a hundred strongpoints to stop the Japanese, but Japan crossed using pontoon bridges in a flash, routing them in just three hours of fighting.
"However, the Russian line appears set back a bit from the river. It's also obscured by hills, making proper observation impossible from here. They tried scouting by disguising as Korean fishermen to cross, but Russian sentries spotted them and opened fire, forcing a retreat."
"Hm. With enemy Commander-in-Chief Kuropatkin personally on the scene, their vigilance is tight, as expected."
Still, no matter that it was the Far East Army's top commander, victory was within reach.
The 1st Army under Lt. Gen. Kuroki numbered nearly 43,000, while intelligence put Kuropatkin's forces at just 25,000.
It was a winnable fight.
"Prepare to cross the Yalu."
"Which division for the vanguard?"
At the question from 1st Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Fujii Shigeta, Lt. Gen. Kuroki pondered briefly before turning to him with a decision.
"The 12th Division."
"Maj. Gen. Inoue will be pleased."
The 12th Division from Northern Kyushu, commanded by Maj. Gen. Inoue Hikaru—who had pressured Emperor Gojong alongside Consul Hayashi Gonsuke over the Japan-Korea Treaty.
The "Sword" Division would surely slice through the Russian defenses mercilessly.
"Entire army, cross the river!"
"Banzaaai~!!"
A few days after deciding to assault the Russian defenses.
With all preparations complete, the Japanese army crossed the Yalu with disciplined swiftness.
They tensed for Russian attacks mid-crossing, but curiously, the Russians showed no movement—not even a hint of aggression.
"They say the Russian fleet's holed up in Lüshun without budging, and it looks like their army's no different."
Maj. Gen. Inoue muttered this as he crossed with his troops.
At this rate, the Russians might earn the nickname "turtles."
Inoue ordered his men to set up camp, then pointed beyond the hills where the Russians were entrenched.
"I'd like to scout their defenses before attacking. Possible?"
"Snipers are spotted moving around. Probably not."
Inoue clicked his tongue at the mention of snipers.
Snipers with telescopic sights had existed even in the American Civil War, and the Far East Army included many skilled Siberian hunters whose marksmanship was top-notch—not surprising at all.
"I hope this isn't just Russian bluffing. Otherwise, no glory for us."
He had finally secured the honor of being the first Japanese army unit to clash with the Russians.
Do well, and he might even capture the enemy commander-in-chief, ending the war here— but if the defenses were a ghost town, it'd be beyond anticlimactic; he'd curse Kuropatkin himself.
"Sons of Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Oita, Nagasaki, and Saga!"
With that, hoping the Russians were truly there, Inoue drew his saber from his belt.
"The moment we've awaited has arrived. Like our glorious vanguard forebears, charge the foe with honor and march across the vast Manchurian plains!"
"Banzaaai~!"
"12th Division! Advance!"
Paam-pa-bam! Paam-pa-ba-bam~!!!
With the bugle call, the 12th Division surged toward the Russian lines.
The Japanese soldiers burned with zeal against Russia, advancing bravely.
"Huh?"
But cresting the hill without resistance, they beheld it.
"Damn it... What the hell is that?!"
The massive Russian trench line sprawling below.
Like a labyrinth designed to disorient intruders on sight, it daunted the Japanese troops unwittingly.
Paam-pa-bam! Baa-ba-ba-bam!!
But the assault bugle snapped them back; they gripped their rifles tighter.
No matter the defenses' form.
"For His Majesty the Emperor..."
They would pierce that maze and press on.
For the Greater Japanese Empire and the Emperor.
"Banzaaaaai────!!"
"Waaaaaaaah────!!!"
As officers brandished sabers and pistols, shouting "Banzai!", the 12th Division erupted in cheers and charged en masse.
Boom! Boom-boom! Boom!
Simultaneously, their Arisaka Type 31 quick-firing guns hurled shells at the Russian positions.
But the Russians weren't just taking the barrage lying down.
Boom! Boom!
From the Russian positions, 3-inch and 6-inch field guns roared fiercely.
Shells rained on the Japanese, punching holes in their ranks, but still they charged relentlessly toward the trenches.
"?!"
Soon, however, a bizarre structure blocked their path.
Crescent barbed wire.
"Damn it, what is this?!"
"Agh! Get it... off my body!!"
"Someone help!"
The lead Japanese soldiers, unable to stop, were shoved by those behind straight into the wire, tangling hopelessly.
Far from escaping, the more they struggled, the tighter it clung, drawing agonized screams from comrades; the troops tried slashing with bayonets or prying with gloved hands—but nothing worked.
The Russians, heeding the German observers' nagging, seized the moment.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat────!!!
"Gah?!"
"Urk!!"
German machine guns from the trenches unleashed merciless lead storms, shredding the Japanese.
In the endless barrage, they fell like rags without even a scream.
"Damn, damn, damn! We need to retreat now!"
One officer, shielding behind dead men's bodies, yelled this.
The Russian defense was no joke. They'd all die at this rate.
Fall back, regroup, and replan from scratch.
[Don't stop! Keep pushing!]
His reason screamed retreat, but the trembling signalman's handset brought Maj. Gen. Inoue's order: attack.
Continue assaulting the Russian line.
The officer stared blankly at the blood-soaked slaughter, then squeezed his eyes shut.
Regrettably, the real battle was just beginning.