Zhuang Lei led the main force of the corps to Rektin, which was about 300 kilometers from Rock Springs, and according to the forward troops, the road from Rekding to Rock Springs was more difficult. The biggest obstacle of the 1st Corps was the difficulty of the road, especially for the artillery and logistics units, which were like snails crawling. On the night of October 18, Zhuang Lei led the main force of the corps to Redink, and early the next morning, Zhuang Lei received a telegram from the headquarters of the expeditionary force, asking him to capture Rock Springs on the 22nd and cut off the retreat of Salt Lake City to the east.

Zhuang Lei immediately ordered the 4th Division, the vanguard of the 2nd Army, to advance lightly, and launched an attack on Rock Springs on the night of the 21st. After the order was issued, Zhuang Lei led the main force of the corps to continue to advance towards Rock Springs. The jeep continued to bump, and the chief of staff broke the silence and said, "Commander, the plan is two days ahead of our expectations, and it seems that the 6th Corps has begun to outflank from the north. Zhuang Lei said: "The headquarters of the expeditionary force is mainly based on the speed of our advance, and it is considered as a whole. We were moving two days earlier than expected, so the campaign plan was ahead of schedule, and now the Americans woke up too late. ”

In the Denver U.S. Western Front Command, Commander Howell was silent after listening to the report. The chief of staff said: "What does it mean that the enemy's armored forces have captured the Carter station, it is reasonable that they should attack Pocatello." Howell pondered for a moment and analyzed: "It is possible that the enemy forces are going to attack Boise's attention, and the enemy armored forces have seized Carter Station and cut off the connection between Salt Lake City and Boise, with the aim of preventing Boise's defensive forces from retreating to Salt Lake City." The Boise Defense Command was ordered to keep a close watch on enemy movements. Report at any time. ”

At this time, a combat staff officer put down the phone and reported in a panic: "Report to the general, the Locks Springs defense force has found a large number of enemy troops." Howell was taken aback and hurried to the map. The chief of staff asked: "Continue to contact." We have to be sure of reliable information that enemy forces are in Rock Springs, which is absolutely impossible. At this moment, the telephone rang sharply again, and the combat staff officer put down the phone and shouted: "The defending troops report that the enemy has launched an attack. The enemy was about a division, and the defending forces called for rapid reinforcements. ”

"Your Excellency, is it so difficult that the enemy fell from the sky?" Howell's eyes were on the map. His eyes locked on Haight, and a cold sweat suddenly broke out. "Your Excellency, Rock Springs has only one brigade of defensive strength. I can't hold it at all. The sudden appearance of a division of strength in the enemy army is simply incredible. "We were fooled, and the enemy launched a feint attack at Haid, and its main force secretly advanced north. Enemy troops overcome unimaginable difficulties. The trek is more than 800 kilometers. There is only one purpose, which is to cut off the retreat of the defense forces of Salt Lake City, with the intention of encircling and annihilating our 300,000 troops. "Howell understood everything.

The chief of staff suddenly realized: "Now that the truth is revealed, all the suspicious points are connected in series, and the purpose is to encircle and annihilate the defenders of my Salt Lake City, and the enemy's appetite is too great." "Order the Locks Springs defenders to defend to the death, order the 55th Army Corps to dispatch quickly, and order the air team to quickly transfer to Rollins Airfield to support the operation at any time. The 1st Independent Tank Regiment was ordered to advance immediately towards Rock Springs. There is no need to guess the enemy's intentions. It's the capture of Rock Springs that cuts me off. The enemy's appetite is so big, it's just whimsical. "Howell's series of issuing orders. The operational staff was in a hurry.

"Report to the High Command immediately, I need orders from the High Command!" Howell added. After the battle order was issued, the headquarters temporarily returned to calm, and everyone was deeply affected by the commander's unhurried demeanor, and their mood gradually calmed down. The enemy army is deep in the tiger's den, even if the enemy army captures Rock Springs, it will not be able to hold it in the face of heavy attacks, especially in the face of the three-dimensional attack of the American army. "Report, Salt Lake City Logan Defense Force reported that enemy forces have been spotted." An operational staff officer made an urgent report. "Tell the Logan defenders not to panic, the enemy army will not be able to cross the Logan River for the time being!" For Howell, Logan was not the focus, the focus was on Rock Springs, and the enemy army must not be allowed to gain a foothold in Rock Springs.

Soon the high command sent an urgent telegram, demanding that Howell guarantee the absolute safety of Rock Springs at any cost. Even if the enemy captures Rock Spring, it will be recaptured, and the absolute safety of the 300,000 defenders of Salt Lake City will be ensured. The chief of staff said worriedly: "The enemy's strategy is too terrible, and he actually wants to surround my 300,000 defenders. It seems that the offensive launched by the enemy army in the northern and central defense lines is completely confusing the formation, and the purpose is to cover the enemy's interspersed troops to the north, and the enemy is too cunning. ”

"Our opponents have been on the battlefield for a long time and have a lot of experience in warfare for many years. In particular, their commanders often use surprise tactics, this kind of clever tactics, we can't think of at all, this is the gap, and the conspiracy is even more deceptive. The key is a long-distance run of more than 800 kilometers, may I ask, can we American soldiers do it? The chief of staff shook his head and sighed: "Don't say you can't do it, you can't even think about it." The fact that the enemy has been able to win victories in difficult situations many times is not a fluke, but because they know us too thoroughly. ”

The 1st Division of the 2nd Corps of the 4th Corps received an order from the Corps Headquarters and immediately advanced lightly and quickly advanced towards Rock Springs. The difference between the main force of the 2nd Army and the 4th Division is a day and a half, and it can be said that the 4th Division is a lone army for the time being. The 4th Division arrived near Rock Springs in the evening and was spotted by a U.S. patrol. The 4th Division did not need to be concealed anymore to launch a powerful offensive. Rock Springs did not have strong fortifications and only one garrison brigade was stationed. Moreover, this garrison brigade is not prepared at all, so it is naturally difficult to parry.

The commander of the US garrison brigade had no choice but to defend himself after receiving an order from Commander Howell, and this was related to the safety of more than 300,000 US troops in Salt Lake City, and the US brigade commander knew that his responsibility was heavy, and if he gave up without authorization, he would definitely be shot. The fighting was fierce, and the American resistance was stubborn. However, the limited strength of the American army, coupled with the poor fortifications, after a night of fierce fighting, Locks Springs was declared captured, most of the American garrison brigade was annihilated, a small part fled to the east, and the commander of the American garrison brigade was killed.

Immediately after the capture of Rock Springs, the 4th Division reported to the Corps Headquarters. They did not expect that the U.S. military would take advantage of the convenience of the railway, and the vanguard of its 55th Army Corps would be the first to reach Rollins, which was only 20 kilometers away from Rock Springs, and the vanguard of the American Army would not appear in Rock Springs no longer than noon. Zhuang Lei received a report from the 4th Division on the road, so he ordered the 4th Division to repair the fortifications on the spot to prevent the US army from counterattacking. At the same time, the main forces of the 2nd Army were ordered to speed up their advance and rush to Rock Springs as much as possible.

The counterattack of the US military had been expected for a long time, but I did not expect that the battle would be so tragic, especially that the US army would actually invest in armored troops to participate in the war. In the headquarters of the Carson City Expeditionary Force, telephones and telegrams rang loudly, and the combat staff officers were nervously busy. "Report, after a night of fierce fighting, the 4th Division of the 1st Corps took Rock Springs, most of the city's garrison brigade was annihilated, a small number fled, and the commander of the American garrison brigade was killed." "Great, where is the main force of the 2nd Army?" Chief of Staff Nie Fengwu asked excitedly.

"The main force of the 2nd Army is in this position, and it is estimated that it will be a day and a half away!" An operational staff officer replied. "501. The main force of the 2nd Army will soon be pulled up, and there is no need to worry too much about holding on to Rock Springs." Nie Fengwu analyzed. "Where is the main force of the 1st Corps?" He Meng asked. An operations staff officer pointed out the location of the 1st Corps on the map. "501, the main force of the 1st Corps is four and a half days away from Rock Springs." Nie Fengwu interjected. He Meng pondered for a moment and said: "The U.S. army will definitely fight back wildly, and the 4th Division and even the 2nd Army will face several times the enemy's attack, and the shape is not optimistic." The armored brigade was ordered to follow the Logan River and fire to support Rock Springs, to reach as fast as possible. ”

At the U.S. Army Command in Denver, Howell received the news that Locksprings had been captured, and shouted hoarsely: "Order the forward troops of the 55th Army to attack on time at 1 p.m., and be sure to recapture Locksprings." What about the air combat brigade? "The chief of staff said: The air combat group has been transferred to Rawls, and it can support the operation in time and space at 1 o'clock in the afternoon." "Tell Major Orwell that the combat radius of the fighter is not enough, and he can safely launch an air attack on the enemy, and this time I will let the enemy taste the bombing."

"Report, the 1st Tank Regiment has arrived in Rawls!" An operational staff officer reports. "Order Major Kuhl, assist the 55th Corps, and make sure to retake Rock Springs." Howell was visibly impatient, losing his usual composure. "Your Excellency, the Locks Springs garrison brigade was wiped out overnight, which can confirm that the strength of the enemy army is a division. The enemy is trying to encircle and annihilate more than 300,000 troops in Salt Lake City, and there is absolutely no way that a division will appear in Rock Springs, and the Air Force Brigade will be built to reconnoiter the enemy situation in the direction of Ryktin. Howell agreed.

Immediately after the 2nd Division of the 4th Army took Rock Springs, trench fortifications were built on the east flank. The soldiers were sweating profusely, and the criss-crossed trenches had taken shape. At this time, a US reconnaissance plane appeared in the sky, and the soldiers stopped their work and looked into the sky one after another. In the division headquarters, an operational staff officer put down his binoculars and said: "Division commander, it's a reconnaissance plane of the US army, and it seems that Rawls has a front-line airfield for the US army." The division commander glanced at his watch and said, "Damn, the US fighter planes are not the opponents of our air warriors, and they actually aim at us." ”

"Division commander, according to the command, after the US fighter plane retreated from Salt Lake City, the purpose was to avoid its edge. When enemy reconnaissance planes are visible, we may face air strikes by enemy planes, so we must take precautions. "Chief of Staff Analysis." Order all brigades, the enemy will soon counterattack, then the US fighters will have air support, a fierce battle is inevitable, all brigades must be fully prepared. "The division commander did not expect that the next battle would be so brutal. The enemy forces had not only air support, but also armored troops.

The soldiers were busy again, and everyone was eager for battle. The US military reconnaissance plane circled the sky several times and flew away, and the time was close to noon. (To be continued......)

PS: Shun lì is followed by sinister.