October 7, 1929, Gunsan Port, North Korea.

"Stand upright!"

On the docks, which had been dilapidated by the continuous bombing, two groups of Japanese soldiers stood upright with their guns on the ground, and not far from them, a small convoy was speeding with a large cloud of dust.

"The devil is coming!" A younger Japanese soldier whispered to his companion.

"What is he doing here?" Another Japanese soldier, obviously with a little fear on his face, in fact, Koiso Kuniaki is not only synonymous with the devil in the eyes of the Koreans, but also does not have a good reputation among the Japanese garrison - moody, harsh, ruthless, he has been in Korea for less than a year, and there are not a few Japanese officers and soldiers who have been punished by him.

The soldier in front of him did not have any expression change on his face, and even his gaze did not move, but his lips trembled slightly:

"I don't know! I wish he just came to inspect and left! ”

"Well, let's hope the German bombers don't come today, or we'll be in trouble!" The Japanese soldier next to him wanted to look back at the sea, but seeing that the officer was a few paces away from him, he had to give up the uneasy attempt.

"Salute!"

By the time the command sounded again, the convoy had reached the dock and finally stopped between the two groups of soldiers.

It is a semi-domestic fleet of Yoshida trucks produced by the Tokyo Automobile Factory, cars built after purchasing production lines from Daimler Automobiles of Germany, and three-wheeled motorcycles at the top of the fleet are produced using technology purchased from the Russians.

Stepping down from a Daimler C9 car in the center of the convoy was the "devil" that the Japanese soldiers were talking about, Koiso Kuniaki, a guy with a mediocre appearance but a fierce man in his bones, and also the supreme commander of all Japanese troops stationed in Korea at present.

Kuniaki Koiso, dressed in a winter army uniform, got out of the car and gracefully saluted the Japanese soldiers lined up, and then began his second inspection of Gunsan Port since taking office - his previous visit to Gunsan Port was seven months ago, after which his main focus was on how to suppress the Korean rebels and how to plunder more resources and wealth from Korea, rather than strengthening the defenses of the Korean Peninsula - of course, the Japanese government did not and will not make such a decision, Moreover, the sharp turn for the worse in the war situation was something that many Japanese generals did not anticipate at all.

"This, this and that side used to be the main berth of Gunsan Harbor. It is possible to berth 10,000-ton cargo ships and warships, and several air strikes last week destroyed their docks, and if all goes well, the restoration will be completed in three months! ”

Xiao Iso frowned and looked at the army Osa Yamada Shigeri, who was in charge of briefing the situation on the side, "Three months? If it goes well? Yaga! ”

"The general is taught!" Yamada Osa began to sweat.

Koiso stopped at the edge of the pier and looked at the sea in the distance, "Will the Germans still come to bomb today?" ”

"This ......," Yamada Osa glanced at Koisoji's side face worriedly, "General." We haven't got the exact information yet......"

"Stupid!" Kuniaki Koiso rebuked mercilessly: "The Germans usually bomb very regularly, once a day, once every two days, or once every three days, as long as the weather allows!" ”

Without waiting for Yamada to reply, Koiso pointed to the sea in the distance, "Today is a good day for bombing, isn't it?" ”

"Yes, General!" Yamada said in passing, but looked at Koiso's eyes unkindly. He changed his words in a panic: "There is a general sitting here." How dare the virtuous people come to invade! ”

"Humph!" Xiao Iso glanced at him with disdain, "The emperor just transferred me to guard Tokyo!" ”

Poor Yamada was speechless for a moment, and he couldn't help but worry about his future. Punish someone as a warning to others. This is the usual method used by Koiso Kuniaki to rectify and deploy, and it is also a well-known thing among the Japanese garrisons in Korea. Before him, whether it was a lieutenant or an adjutant, there was basically no good end for angering the general because of official duties or other things, especially a middle-level officer like him who had no backing, and there was no possibility of escaping punishment.

However, to Yamada's surprise, Koiso Kuniaki did not punish him next, but silently walked north along the pier. Although these mountain ports are not as international as those of Yokohama, their excellent natural conditions and acquired construction have made it an important port on the same level as Busan, Yeosu and Mokpo, and before the start of the war, there was an endless stream of ships traveling to and from China and Japan. The business in the city is also quite developed.

However, the smoke of the war has made the situation of this prosperous port more and more serious, first of all, the shark-like German submarines and powerful mines have made the shipping routes in the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan dangerous, and Japanese ships have been sunk in these seas, and the number of cargo ships entering and leaving the port of Gunsan has also been greatly reduced. If this situation deprived the port of Gunsan, the air raids that began this month were intended to wipe the port off the map, and the first German bombardment caused massive direct damage to the dock area, and the second bombardment paralyzed the dock area, although the Japanese have since strengthened the port's air defenses. However, the scale of the subsequent bombings by the Germans became larger and larger, and the targets of the bombing also expanded from the port area to the urban area and the inland railways and highways connecting the port of Gunsan, although it was not enough to completely cut off the communication between the mountains and the outside world, but at least the efficiency of the Japanese army's movement near the port was greatly reduced.

Looking at the dilapidated dock area, Xiao Iso suddenly drew a circle with both hands, "We're going to build this place into a huge fortress!" ”

Ruins turned fortresses? Yamada was dumbfounded for a moment, what kind of jumping thinking is this! However, this time Yamada did not dare to disobey Koiso's intentions again, and it was obviously not a wise thing to go against such a general.

"Yes, General!"

"There, it can be transformed into a strong battery, and I will send the cannon to the ordnance department as soon as possible!" Xiao Iso pointed to a collapsed building, and then pointed his finger to a low warehouse in the distance, "There, set up a large-caliber fontanelle, and build a strong bunker that can withstand enemy bombs!" ”

"There, infantry bunkers!"

"Here, the machine gun bunker!"

Yamada chick nodded like a peck, he didn't understand how this general could have such a "Yaxing" to deploy the defense of a port, and what was even worse was that these things he asked for could not be completed without a large number of labor and materials, since the Korean Strait and the Tsushima Strait were blocked, there was a great shortage of steel and concrete on the North Korean side!

After walking around the dock area, Koiso didn't seem satisfied. Then he asked Yamada to accompany him around the port area, and took care of some beaches that looked like easy landing sites for the enemy, and these deployments made Yamada feel more and more embarrassed, because his garrison was only one and a half infantry wings plus some artillery, and it was easy to imagine how difficult it was to carry out a tight defense in such a large area.

Seeing that there was a difficult color under his hand but he didn't dare to speak, Xiao Ji suddenly patted him on the shoulder kindly, "Yamada-kun, the burden on your shoulders is very heavy!" However, the time has come for the survival of the empire to exist. Victory, we have a chance to turn things around, defeat, and there will be no return! ”

Yamada also heard the meaning of this, and he hurriedly put his legs together, "I am willing to be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor!" ”

"Excellent! The work of strengthening the defense will be intensified from now on, not only the artillery, but I will also send some more troops to assist you in the defense! As long as you do your best, I will ask the military department for you! ”

"Don't dare to hope for it, as long as you don't send me to guard the island!" Yamada thought so in his heart. But he expressed his gratitude again and again.

Just as Kuniaki Koiso's inspection was coming to an end. An ominous sound suddenly sounded on the sea in the distance, and those who knew it well knew what it meant, just before the air raid sirens sounded in the port area. Yamada persuaded: "Your Excellency General, the German air raid is imminent, for your safety and for the sake of the overall situation, you should go to the rear to avoid it first!" ”

"What?" Xiao Iso's eyes widened, "How can the Great Japanese Emperor retreat in front of the enemy!" No, I'm going to be here today to see how powerful the German ground planes really are! ”

Xiao Iso's appearance was awe-inspiring, but Yamada was bitter in his heart, these mountain ports did not have any decent air defense facilities in the first place. After a period of emergency repairs, he only barely added some imperfect fortifications, so when the German bombers attacked, except for the soldiers who operated the anti-aircraft guns, he usually only left some sentries in the port area, and he himself withdrew from the port area with a large force. If Xiao Iso continues to persevere, then he will definitely not be able to go.

"General, the ancients had clouds, a husband can bend and stretch, and the general's golden body. How can you be wounded by the secret arrows of the virtuous people here! Your Excellency is the hope of the whole of Korea! ”

"Dark Arrow?" Koiso looked at the anxious Dazuo, and then at the group of black dots in the distance, and at this moment, the low and suppressed air raid sirens in the port area also sounded. After a moment of thought, Koiso reluctantly accepted Yamada's suggestion, and then quickly got into the car, and without saying a few words of comfort or goodbye to Yamada, the convoy drove in the direction of leaving Minato.

Looking at the smoke and dust raised by Koiso's convoy, Yamada finally breathed a sigh of relief, and then turned his head to look over the sea, and he could already distinguish the general outline of the German bomber by the naked eye.

"All...... Evacuate Minato! ”

The Japanese soldiers, who had just lined up in a neat line, climbed into the trucks parked not far away with great skill and swiftness, and before the first German bomb fell, they had safely evacuated to the southern hills, which were not usually of interest to German bombers.

There was an explosion coming from Minato, and Koiso, who was leaning back to his seat, closed his eyes.

"General!" The staff officer sitting next to Xiao Iso, whispered, "The troops have all started to move according to the plan, we have no extra reserve troops in our hands, and it will be very difficult to transfer even one more infantry brigade to the mountains!" ”

"No, we still have a reserve in our hands!" Koiso continued to close his eyes.

"You mean ......" the staff officer was a little surprised.

"Yes! That's the troops! Xiao Iso nodded, "Although the combat power is insignificant, it is better to use it to consume the enemy's firepower!" ”

"Oh......" There was a chill behind the staff officer, and thousands of lives were so easy in the general's mouth.

"October 20th, huh!" The expression on Koiso's face suddenly became hideous, "I'm going to make Gunsan Harbor a grave for the Germans!" ”

At this time, the mountain harbor was already shrouded in billowing smoke and terrible flames, and the size of the German fleet in the sky terrified everyone standing on the ground. As far as the eye could see, the sky above the harbor was almost obscured by the aerial killing weapons of massive metal bodies, two or four powerful engines, and terrifying destructive powers, hundreds, perhaps more than a thousand, as if not even sunlight could penetrate the dense formations they formed. In the face of the overwhelming buzz and the incessant explosions, the anti-aircraft fire from the ground seemed so weak.

*************

"Raise your gun! Salute! ”

With the officer's loud command, Kleist reviewed his energetic subordinates with satisfaction, as an elite unit that had participated in the German-American war and the war in Southeast Asia, Kleist's division was selected for the battle sequence of the tsunami plan, in fact, it was also one of the last land battles of the German war. Elite Marines are still tasked with seizing the beachhead and consolidating the landing grounds, and this time Kleist's forces and other divisions involved in the battle will be tasked with advancing inland.

For Kleist's more than 18,000 German officers and men, this was undoubtedly a very honorable and arduous task.

Accompanied by Kleist's review of the troops were a number of colonel-level officers, and under the "flock" of several tall officers, a young but extraordinary captain officer was not so conspicuous, but if his identity was revealed, everyone present would probably have to pay the most respectful attention.

After returning home to attend the Kaiser's wedding, Crown Prince, Andrés did not stay on the mainland, but quickly returned to the front. Since the war in Southeast Asia had basically ended, the headquarters of the German-Turkish Joint Expeditionary Force was disbanded. General Rundstead went to Qingdao.

After entering October, the "Strait Plan 1" gradually entered the final countdown, and Andres also came to Dalian as a special liaison officer of the cluster command, responsible for inspecting and coordinating the German army's campaign preparations here.

When the officers had reached the end of the usual queue, the herald's loud voice rang out again:

"Rite over!"

The uniform movements of tens of thousands of people are spectacular, although he has seen such a scene more than once, Andres still nodded slightly, it is indeed a happy thing to have such an army, not to mention that this army will be absolutely loyal to him in a few years.

"General Kleist, you can see that your men are ready for battle! A telegram has just arrived from the headquarters, ordering your division to begin boarding this evening, and it is General Gantt's 7th Transport Detachment that is responsible for transporting you! Andres took the initiative to stretch out his right hand, "General, good luck to you!" ”