The atmosphere in the Denver Western Front Command was markedly relaxed, and the enemy launched attacks for a month, successfully intercepting them on the Salt Lake City line and holding back on the Haight front. The US high command believes that the enemy has only captured Medford and Klamath in the north. The north is not the focus of the U.S. military's defense, in other words, the Americans want the enemy to attack the north in a big way, so that the Americans can buy time. The battle was clearly stagnant, and the U.S. Army's stubborn defense of Salt Lake City seemed to be a success.

The U.S. High Command also seemed to see hope, and instructed Western Front Commander Howell to strengthen the defense of Salt Lake City to prevent the enemy from outflanking Salt Lake City from the north. To this end, Howell sent 50,000 troops to reinforce Salt Lake City, intending to strengthen the defenses of northern Salt Lake City. Howell believed that as long as Salt Lake City was stable, the entire defensive posture would get better and better, and then it would be able to break up the enemy's powerful offensive. The tension on everyone's faces in the headquarters eased. The chief of staff said: "Your Excellency, General: The enemy army continues to be blocked in Salt Lake City, and it seems that the attack has stopped. ”

Howell agreed: "The ability of the enemy to attack continuously is indeed admirable, but we have withstood the fierce attack of the enemy. The enemy attacked continuously, and although we suffered successive setbacks, we accumulated rich defensive experience in defensive operations, and although the enemy captured Medford and Klamath in the north, it had little impact on our overall defense. The next step is for the enemy to attack Salem, and I have ordered the commander of Salem's defense to purposefully stop the enemy's advance, and then plan to abandon Salem and retreat to Seattle to the north, and attract the enemy to continue northward. ”

Howell continued: "The enemy forces were also hampered in Winter Falls and Bliss, especially his armored units were hit by our anti-tank mines. Then he became cautious. The Pocatello Defense Command reported that the tracks of enemy tanks were a weak underbelly, and anti-tank mines could completely blow up the tracks of enemy tanks. This situation is very important, and I have reported it to the High Command. Although the enemy has made small gains in the south, the Tucson and Santa Fe lines have strengthened their defenses, and the enemy will have to pay a heavy price if they want to break through, which is also our goal. ”

The chief of staff said: "Your Excellency, the 35th Army reports that they have arrived in Salt Lake City. Transfers to the north are currently underway. "The High Command intended to strengthen the defenses of northern Salt Lake City, and it was correct, and the enemy was currently launching an offensive to the northeast. It was imperative to strengthen the defenses of northern Salt Lake City. However, the northwest is a natural barrier to the Great Salt Lake, and the Logan River is located in the north, so even if the enemy is outflanked from the north, there is no need to worry too much. As long as the enemy does not appear in the eastern part of Salt Lake City. We just sit back and relax. "Howell is confident.

"Report! The newly formed 1st Regiment of Armored Combat Vehicles arrived at the station! A combat staff officer reported. When Howell heard this, he excitedly said: "Chief of Staff, our armored fighting vehicle has finally come out, let's go to the station and have a look." Soon after, Howell and the chief of staff drove to the station. The platform is heavily guarded, with five steps, one sentry, and ten steps and one post. A flatbed train stopped on the platform, and at this time, on the flatbed car, the motors of the tank fighting vehicles roared, and they were moving towards the platform. Military jeeps drove directly onto the platform. Howell and the chief of staff got out of the car full of pride.

When a colonel officer saw the commander appear on the platform, he hurriedly ran over and reported: "Report to the general." The 1st Separate Armored Regiment of the United States arrives, and Major Yalikul reports to you. "Major Arikul, I hope for you as I hope for the stars and the moon, and I almost want to see through them. Chief of Staff, we finally have a weapon to fight back. "Report to the general, the 1st Armored Regiment has a total of 60 tank fighting vehicles, the total weight of the tanks is 10 tons, the caliber of the gun is 60 mm, and there is a 7, 92 mm heavy machine gun built-in. In addition, two more armored combat vehicle regiments arrived at the front a month later. ”

Howell excitedly said: "We have fighters and armored troops, which means that we have a preliminary counterattack force, and the defense line is more solid." "Your Excellency, General, where are you going to drop your chariot troops?" Howell said without hesitation: "Tank and fighter units, used as mobile units of the command. At the moment, our tanks are not yet able to engage enemy tanks, and they have zero combat experience. But we can avoid its edge, and use chariots against the enemy's infantry is abundant. Enemy forces often use surprise tactics, so why do we stick to the rules? ”

Inside the headquarters of the Los Angeles Expeditionary Force, the atmosphere was somewhat tense. He Meng looked at the map and pondered: "The U.S. military has increased its troops to Salt Lake City, which shows that the U.S. military believes that holding on to Salt Lake City is a sure win. You see, to the northwest of Salt Lake City is the Great Salt Lake, and to the north there is an inverted U-shaped Logan River that forms a natural barrier. Our 6th Corps launched an attack in the northeast direction, and the U.S. troops were worried that the 6th Corps would turn around and outflank it south. Therefore, I estimate that the U.S. military is not strong enough to defend the Logan River, and it is intended to strengthen the defense. If the U.S. command had guessed our intentions, it would have strengthened its defenses at Craig, and now we can use our troops with confidence. ”

"Order the 7th Corps to quickly take Burns and Nampa and quickly advance to Boise! Order the 6th Corps to quickly take Boers and Twin Falls! Order the tank brigade to quickly cut off Pocatello and Logan, and we are to continue to create the illusion of an outflanking enemy and outflanking Boise. Chief of Staff, I see that the headquarters can be moved forward. "In order to command the encirclement and annihilation of the U.S. forces in Salt Lake City, the headquarters was to move forward to Carson City to command the operation. At the sound of an order, all the personnel of the headquarters began to act. A train headed north after dark, with only two more cars.

The train sped across the field, reaching speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour due to the low traction load. In the box, He Meng looked at the dark fields and hazy mountains in contemplation, and the chief of staff pushed the door and walked in, holding a jar of Moutai wine and two wine glasses in his hand. The guard behind him put the appetizers on the table, "Commander He, have a drink and get a good night's sleep, I found that you didn't rest well in the past few days." "I have been worried that the US military will discover its intentions, and I really haven't rested well during this time, with the help of the chief of staff. Let's have a good drink.

In a hilly area south of Twember Falls in the north, the turret and barrel of a tank fighting vehicle are exposed in dense grass. From a distance, these steel monsters are very secretive, and the animals that live here, where have they seen these demons and monsters, have avoided them or fled. It can be guessed that these tank combat vehicles are in concealment and are not on combat duty for the time being. The Independent Tank Brigade of the Expeditionary Force has not participated in large-scale battles since following the operation of the 6th Corps, and it has been more than a month since the outbreak of the battle, and the officers and men of the armored brigade are very idle.

At this time, in the middle of the thatched grass at the location of the 1st Armored Company, Xiao Fei, Liu Guoliang, Tong Zhuang, and Ding Dong sat together and chatted. "A few brothers, I heard that the headquarters ordered to quickly take Bliss and Twynfols, the battle is ongoing, why don't you let us participate in the battle, it's a rush to death!" Ding Dong couldn't bear the loneliness and muttered. "What are you pretentious, you kid, forgot how your chariot was blown up, shameful and conspicuous, and your wolf bèi appearance is still vivid in my mind at that time." Tong Zhuang teased. "How can you blame me, who knew that the enemy had an anti-tank mine!" Ding Dong defended himself.

Liu Guoliang said: "The Yankees are indeed not simple, and they quickly created anti-tank mines. Although anti-tank mines cannot blow up tanks at once, they can blow up chains, and it seems that there will be more and more anti-tank weapons in the future. Xiao Fei said: "This is called a spear and a shield, and the two are mutually beneficial." In the early stage, we assisted in the operation, although the scale was not large, but we were injured by US anti-tank mines, and more than a dozen tanks were damaged, and Ding Dong's encounter is an example. The attack on Bliss and Twynfurls did not allow us to participate in the battle, presumably because we considered the threat of anti-tank mines to us. ”

Liu Guoliang agreed: "Brother Xiao's analysis is reasonable, but we shouldn't let us nest here!" Xiao Fei continued: "The advantage of tank combat vehicles is rapid assault, interspersed with large depths, I estimate how to use the corps headquarters will be considered." Our goal is to encircle and annihilate the U.S. troops in Salt Lake City, so don't be in a hurry, it's probably our turn soon. "I heard that the 6th Corps Reserve 24th Army has begun to move to Pocatello, and it seems that the curtain has opened to outflank Salt Lake City from the north." Liu Guoliang looked very excited.

At this time, a one-wheeled motorcycle came speeding over, and I saw the commander of the 1st Tank Company getting off the lane: "You guys immediately prepare and act immediately." When Xiao Fei and the others heard this, they immediately rushed to their chariot, and suddenly the motor began to roar. The motorized regiment was the first to be dispatched, and the tanks and combat vehicles followed. The headquarters of the expeditionary force personally ordered the tank brigade to immediately go out and make a long-distance run of 210 kilometers to cut off the connection between Pocatello and Logan and prevent the American troops in Boise from retreating to Salt Lake City.

The 6th Corps, in accordance with the general deployment of the Expeditionary Force Command, the 21st and 22nd Corps quickly captured Bliss and Twinfols. The 24th Army of the Reserve Army is approaching Pocatello, and the fall of Bliss and Twenfols is bound to affect the American troops in Boise, there are about 200,000 American troops on this line, and if the American Western Front Command wakes up and allows the American troops on the Boise front to withdraw to Salt Lake City, it will inevitably increase the difficulty of encirclement and annihilation, so the headquarters ordered the tank brigade to quickly dispatch to cut off the railway line from Salt Lake City to Pocatello.

Located in the middle of Pocatello and Logan, Cotter Station is a town with a population of less than 1,000. The target of the armored brigade was the Kote station, and the armored brigade arrived at the Kote station in the early morning after a long 20-hour run. A regiment of the U.S. Nationalist Army was stationed at the Kot station, and when the tanks and fighting vehicles rumbled and attacked, the U.S. Nationalists were immediately frightened. This small station is not an important target, how can enemy tanks appear here? The commander of the U.S. Civil Corps quickly reported to the Salt Lake City Command while evacuating the Kurt Station and retreating to Salt Lake City.

The American People's Army Wolf Bèi retreated, where did it come to mind to be ambushed by the motorized regiment of the armored brigade. This garrison regiment of the American People's Army is a 2-line unit, and they have never seen a motorized regiment. When hundreds of motorcycles attacked, the soldiers of the American People's Army immediately collapsed. The course of the battle was negligible, and a regiment of American soldiers disarmed and surrendered. The capture of Kot Station by Panmoured Arthur marked the beginning of the blockade of Salt Lake City from the north, and the beginning of a bitter battle. (To be continued......)

PS: The curtain rises on the siege of Salt Lake City.