ZTE 11, November 20.

Eight days after the signing of the non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Germany, the Soviet Union had basically completed the transfer of troops to the Mongolian region. The main force of 600,000 is already waiting for the rest of the day, and the two armored armies, plus other divisions and brigades, have nearly 1,000 tanks combined. The artillery of various caliber models has reached a terrifying number. Not to mention those small and medium-sized artillery, even those heavy howitzers and cannons, it reached two thousand. (105mm is considered heavy) In order to be able to wrestle his wrist with China, Stalin was very well prepared in terms of land heavy firearms. Stalin was confident that if the 600,000 Soviet Red Army used these weapons and equipment to attack Korea, he would definitely be able to drive Japan out of Korea and turn Korea into Soviet soil.

It's just that in the face of China, Stalin lost a lot of self-confidence. Otherwise, it would not have been until so much strength had been gathered before a new move began. In his opinion, it is enough not to seek merit but to seek no fault, as long as it can bring out the strength of China.

The Soviet Union was constantly moving, but China was very quiet, and there was no large-scale military mobilization, as if it was disdainful of the Soviet Union's actions.

Zhukov was puzzled by this. There was not the slightest concealment in the Soviet military movements, and there was no reason why the Chinese side should remain so quiet. After sending out a number of intelligence officers in a row, Zhukov did not receive the slightest useful information. For many days in a row, it was still passed to him that the Chinese army did not have the slightest movement.

In the face of such a strange thing, Zhukov has been frowning all these days. He really can't figure it out, everyone else has set up knives and guns and placed them at your doorstep, why are they still so calm, what hole cards does China rely on? However, the news from the intelligence officers was the same every day, and he did not know how to explain the current situation for a while.

Is it just that China really has no action? This is absolutely impossible, as early as the beginning of the arrest of Soviet political workers, the Chinese army was already secretly mobilized. In particular, the air force has a large number of planes landing at night at several large airports around Kulen in Mongolia.

And those Soviet intelligence officers, whether they were those who had been in China before, or those who had just been sent in by Zhukov, had already been monitored by spies.

The information they obtained in China was carefully prepared for them by the spies. With the cooperation of various military camps, the information obtained by those intelligence officers was naturally the news that China was still holding its ground.

In fact, the Mongolian Military District has concentrated the vast majority of its forces in the border areas. The number is not as large as the 600,000 in the USSR, and there are only one and a half army group sizes, 300,000 people. Although the number was half that of the USSR, it was by no means comparable in quality to the USSR.

A group army plus half of a group army are all active group armies, and the most important thing is that the half of the group army is still the backbone of the Chinese Army and half of the strength of the armored group army. The strength of half of the Panzer Army is by no means what the 1,000 tanks of the USSR can fight.

As early as when Stalin was itching, Chen Shao gave instructions to use half the strength of the Mongolian Military District to fight. And also to play the prestige of China, so that Stalin can see the strength of the Chinese army. And there was also the idea that Stalin knew that quantity sometimes does not mean strength. When quality reaches a certain level, the gap in quantity can be bridged.

China now has two fully formed armored army units, one in Mongolia and one in the northeast. An armored army has two armored divisions, plus an infantry division. The commander of the Mongolian Military District, General Li Zongren, had decided to send at least one army group to deal with the impending military conflict. However, it was denied by the Ministry of Defense, a mechanized infantry army, plus half an armored army, was enough.

And the so-called half of the Panzer Army even sent out only one armored division. Together with the independent artillery clusters equipped with the military districts, it can be considered half a group army.

600,000 vs 300,000.

The commander of the Soviet Union, General Zhukov, and the commander of the Chinese Army and a half, Lieutenant General Su Yusheng.

Zhukov vs Su Yusheng.

The two sides are on the border, and the clouds of war loom over the border areas between the two countries.

Kyakhta, at this time, had become a heavy Soviet troop gathering point, 600,000 troops were assembled in the area around Kyakhta, and Zhukov's headquarters was also set up in this place.

Zhukov stood in the underground headquarters, looking at the large map hanging on the wall, his brows always knit together. In the headquarters, a fire was burning, driving the cold outside.

Zhukov felt a little confused with his fingers on the table next to him, he really couldn't think of a good insertion point now. At this time, the weather outside can be described as very bad, and it is not suitable for large-scale use of troops. And in such weather, the plane cannot take off. And where is the situation in China too weird, Zhukov is worried about whether China is engaged in some conspiracy.

"Order the forward troops, don't act rashly." Zhukov ordered to the adjutant beside him.

"Yes."

In the command headquarters, the radio ticked incessantly, and Zhukov spoke again: "Order the two armored corps (the previous writing was wrong, the Soviet army at this time had no armored divisions, only armored brigades and armored corps, correct it here) from now on, be ready to go into battle at any time." ”

At this time, even if Zhukov did not know China's plans, he could feel the smell of gunpowder in the air. The two Panzer Corps were the main assault force at Zhukov's disposal and a source of confidence in the outbreak of the conflict between the Soviet Union and China. One armored corps has five hundred tanks, two is a thousand.

Regarding the armored forces, after learning about and participating in the military parade in China, Zhukov firmly understood the role and use of armored forces.

Zhukov believed that the armored corps should be concentrated and put into battle, and suggested that the top leadership of the Soviet Union create a large-scale mechanized corps with the armored corps as the core. Under Zhukov's active advocacy, the Soviet Union formed the second batch of mechanized armies in the world after China in the thirties, and each mechanized corps had two mechanized brigades, one infantry machine gun brigade and one independent antiaircraft artillery battalion. By the beginning of 1936, the total number of Soviet mechanized corps had reached eight, and each mechanized corps concentrated about 500 tanks and 200 vehicles, so that the strength of the armored corps was concentrated to a considerable extent, like a spread of fingers clenched into a fist.

China was once at the forefront of the world in the formation of armored mechanized troops, and Stalin bought tanks from China in order to catch up. At the same time, Germany had only five armored mechanized corps, and the armored forces of other countries were far from those of the Soviet Union in terms of the scale of their establishment and the quantity and quality of equipment, let alone compared with China.

The Soviet Union now has a complete tank force of 10 armored armies and 5,000 tanks, which is the confidence of Stalin to dare to test China. At this time, Stalin did not finally abandon Zhukov's suggestion and scattered the Panzer Corps, supplementing the progressive units with battalion or company units as infantry support units. Rather, at Zhukov's insistence, it was used as a fist of the army. There is a Chinese stimulus here, and there is also a reason why Zhukov's influence is greater than that of later generations.

Zhukov's two orders were issued because he did not want to start a conflict with China now. Because of the weather and the uncertainty of the previous situation, he did not dare to start a war lightly.

It's just that things often don't go according to people's wishes, and when you want it to be like that, it's the way it is.

Like Zhukov, as the commander of this 300,000-strong force, Su Yusheng was looking at the map in the headquarters and looking at the snowy scene outside the headquarters from time to time. Unlike Zhukov, Su Yusheng didn't mean to frown at all. Moreover, now the Chinese army is in the dark, and the Soviet army is in the light, so Su Yusheng is not in a hurry.

Su Yusheng cherishes today's opportunity, because it was achieved by his perseverance. At this time, he was full of smiles as soon as he recalled the scene when several of his old comrades-in-arms were competing for the position of commander in the military region headquarters a few days ago.

Commanding 300,000 troops and fighting against 600,000 troops of the Soviet Union makes people's blood boil when they think about it. Su Yusheng got the right to command, so he naturally cherished it very much. These days, we have been studying how to fight this battle well. Commanding 300,000 men was not much of a challenge for him, as he was now the commander of an active army group. A unit and a half of armies, that complete mechanized infantry army is his ranks.

It's just that he has to face the Soviet Union's 600,000 people, especially the Soviet army, which is supported by a large number of planes and tanks, and Su Yusheng also wants to fight this war well and come up with a perfect victory. As Chen Shao explained, play the prestige of the Chinese army.

And in Su Yusheng's heart, there are more thoughts to repay Chen Shao's kindness. As the first graduate of the Chinese Military Academy, in fact, not many people can reach the rank of lieutenant general, and they are also the commanders of the main group army. Hundreds of graduates in the entire first class, and only a limited number of people, have come to this position today.

When it comes to military exploits, in fact, he is not much higher than others. When it comes to seniority, it's not very high. Su Yusheng knows very well that with today's status, it was all given by Chen Shao. The love between teachers and students, the grace of knowing each other, for him, these two points are enough.

"Order the whole army to be ready for any unexpected situation from now on, keep guns and bullets on their bodies, and be ready to go into battle at any time." Su Yusheng took a sip of hot tea and said to the herald beside him.

Su Yusheng can also feel that the war is not far away, because the Soviet Union has all made preparations, and perhaps as soon as this heavy snow stops, it will be the time for the war to begin.

This coincides with Zhukov, heavy snowy days are not suitable for large corps operations.

But neither of them thought about it, maybe they didn't pay attention to those small places. Heavy snow days are not suitable for large corps operations, but for skirmishes, it does not have much effect. Large-scale conflicts, on the other hand, often evolve from petty conflicts.

(To be continued)