Episode 161 The Political Significance of Sakhalin

In the orthodox space-time, the North Peninsula was the territory of the Soviet Union, and the South Peninsula was the territory of Japan. But in this time and space, this large island is completely the territory of the Soviet Union.

The Ming and Soviet armies met on a narrow road at the bee's waist in the south of Sakhalin. There were three divisions of the Ming army, and only one division of the Soviet army, so with such a disparity in strength and firepower, the Soviet army could only choose to set up a defensive position here. After all, it is only 25 kilometers wide and is flanked by the sea. To the east is the endless Sea of Okhotsk, and to the west is the widest part of the strait, which is almost one hundred and fifty kilometers away and is not covered with ice. It was impossible for the Ming army to rely on assault boats and the like to land across the sea, and it was necessary to use large ships. But sea supremacy was in the hands of the Japanese Navy.

But for a division, it was too difficult to defend a 25-kilometer-wide front. In addition to superior ground firepower, the Ming army also built several front-line airfields on the other side of the strait, in the northern plains of Sakhalin, and on the coast of Terpeniye Bay to the north of the bee's waist.

However, the Ming army hurriedly built several front-line airfields according to inertial thinking, and only found that it seemed that it was not needed. It's winter, and it's in a cold maritime climate at high latitudes. The mountains and forests of Sakhalin are always covered with a cold fog, and the sky is always overcast, with either a quiet goose feather snow or a hysterical blizzard. Under such conditions, it is difficult for the aircraft to even take off, let alone combat.

This kind of weather with low visibility should be said to be favorable for the ground offensive - it is difficult for the Soviet artillery observers to see far away, and they can hear the sound of engines and guns on the opposite side, but they cannot see the target and cannot report the coordinates, and they can not see until the Ming army rushes to the front. It is similar to the situation at the end of 1935 when the Qing army took advantage of the fog to invade the south.

But at this time, the Japanese Navy came to the rescue. On the east and west sides of Sakhalin Island, a detachment of Japanese battleships, with one battleship as the core, four cruisers as the main force, and a dozen or so destroyers as auxiliaries, continued to shell the Ming-controlled areas on the island. At this waist of the bee, which is only 25 kilometers wide, the naval guns on both sides of the Japanese can completely cross over. Dense heavy shells kept falling, blasting this narrow bee waist like the surface of the moon.

What is even more troublesome is that the sea on both sides, and the closed sea area of the Sea of Japan on one side, the Ming fleet cannot enter; On one side is the northernmost part of the western Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Okhotsk, which is also closed off by the Kuril Islands. Not to mention that it is difficult for the Ming fleet to get in, even if it can get in, it will have to bypass half of the western Pacific Ocean, spanning more than 6,000 kilometers, and it will not be able to reach it in ten days and half a month.

Now the Nanjing High Command is in a dilemma.

Tang Yunsheng, Xiong Dingming, Li Guoliang, Xiang Xiaoqiang and several others gathered around the map table and discussed what to do next.

According to the meaning of Li Guoliang, commander of the army aviation, that is, the Ming army's Kurkhalin troops can now temporarily stop and defend on the spot, and there is no need to be in a hurry. Anyway, the Ming army is not in urgent need of Sakhalin for any use now, it is nothing more than to clear the rear. This matter can be postponed for a while, first, to see how long the two fleets of the Japanese army can accompany them, and second, to wait for the weather to clear. At that time, the army and the sea will be able to fight. At that time, at least the Japanese fleet in the Sea of Japan did not dare to stay there any longer. Moreover, the offensive of the ground forces of the Ming army will also be supported by air.

Xiang Xiaoqiang stared at the map, frowned tightly, and slowly shook his head:

"That's not right...... It won't be that cheap. We are waiting here, and the Japanese fleet will accompany us here. Not to mention maintaining two fleets, even if they maintain five or six, they will not hesitate. Commander Lee, look at this location in South Sakhalin – it's only a strait away from Hokkaido. Once the Ming army reached the southern tip of Sakhalin, it was only 40 kilometers from the northernmost mainland of Japan. Let's not talk about landing in Japan, even if we build batteries here, submarine bases and torpedo boat bases...... Not to mention that the Soya Strait can be completely blocked, at least it will make it impossible for Japan's own ships to enter and exit safely from here.

"Therefore, even if Japan is desperate, it is impossible for our army to occupy South Sakhalin. Although there has always been a deep estrangement between Japan and Russia over the issue of Sakhalin Island and the northern territories, and they have even met each other several times, this time it is really a real 'cold lip and tooth'. Even if the Soviet Union did not give Japan a penny, Japan would do everything in its power to help the Soviet Union hold the southern part of Sakhalin. - If necessary, I think the Japanese will even send troops to Sakhalin and fight us personally. ”

After he finished speaking, several generals present nodded slowly. Their faces were also very solemn, and it was clear that everyone was aware of the seriousness of the problem.

Tang Yunsheng nodded and said:

"It makes sense. On this issue, we cannot afford to leave anything to chance. ”

But Li Guoliang still really wanted to have a big air battle. In Daming, he can be said to be the second "Duhei" in addition to Xiang Xiaoqiang, and his trust in air power is beyond any addition. He plucked up the courage to boldly retort:

"Lord Tang, Lord Xiang...... What the last general wants to say is that the air supremacy in Northeast Asia is still in our hands. Although we and Japan split the air supremacy in the Sea of Japan, Sakhalin is so close to the mainland, and there should be no problem for us to win air supremacy over Sakhalin and the surrounding waters. Although it is winter, although it is a cold sea in the north, it cannot always be cloudy. Not to mention Sakhalin, even in places like the North Atlantic, the United Kingdom, and Norway, there are always sunny days in winter. As soon as there is a sunny day, we can immediately concentrate bombers and simultaneously attack the Japanese fleets on both sides, as well as the Soviet troops in the south of the island, and win or lose the battle. If one or two more Japanese battleships, or two or three heavy cruisers, could have been sunk, it would have been an additional gain in the Battle of Sakhalin. INTERVIEWER What do you know? ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang shook his head and said:

"Commander Li, Sakhalin is closer to the mainland, but closer to the Japanese mainland. The distance between Japan's dispatch of planes from Hokkaido and our dispatch of planes from the mainland and from the northern part of the island is about the same. The sky of Sakhalin is, at most, half of a family. Even if we have more and better planes and more skilled pilots, it will be necessary to go through several bloody battles in the air before it is possible to take away air supremacy. Until air supremacy is wrestled, we cannot expect to rely on air support as much as we did on the continental battlefield. ”

Xiong Dingming pondered for a long time, then interjected:

"Otherwise, let's compromise...... Do not launch a ground assault immediately, nor wait indefinitely...... We sent an aircraft carrier detachment to the waters of the western Pacific Ocean to take the initiative to attack the Japanese army. We can bomb the Japanese coastal cities again, and try to bring back part of the Japanese fleet near Sakhalin. What is the estimated time...... Seven to eight days should be about the same. ”

Several people looked at each other, and they all seemed to think that Xiong Dingming's idea was even more chicken, and the benefits of both ends could not be touched.

At this time, Tang Yunsheng's adjutant hurriedly walked in and whispered in front of him:

"Your phone, my lord. Your Majesty called. ”

When several people heard this, they immediately couldn't help but sit upright and look at Tang Yunsheng.

Tang Yunsheng's expression was serious, he nodded, straightened his neckline, stood up, took the marshal's scepter, and strode out with a big-brimmed hat under his arm.

After a while, Tang Yunsheng returned. He put down his hat and scepter, sat down again, looked around the crowd, and said slowly:

"Ladies and gentlemen, Your Majesty has just made a suggestion to us on the phone, suggesting that we should fight a quick battle, end the fighting on Sakhalin Island, and take control of the whole island as soon as possible. His Majesty said that the Sakhalin issue is a key link that can determine whether Japan and the Soviet Union will move towards close union or gradually part ways. If we drag it on, the Soviet Union will continue to lobby Japan, and Japan will become more and more aware that Sakhalin is a matter of Japan's homeland, and will become more and more willing to unite with the Soviet army regardless of the cost, and may even send Japanese troops to land on the island and fight us directly. That's the last thing we want to see.

"And if we can end the battle of Sakhalin as quickly as possible and quickly take control of the whole island, then both the Soviet Union and Japan will have to turn their attention elsewhere. The Soviet Union will refocus its attention on Lake Baikal and Central Siberia, while Japan will focus on protecting Hokkaido and its own sea lines. There will be fewer overlapping interests between the two countries, and they will part ways more quickly. Therefore, Sakhalin will not only become a geographical 'barrier' between the two countries, but also a political 'barrier' between the two countries. ”

After Tang Yunsheng finished speaking, several people looked at each other, all quietly savoring this "His Majesty's opinion". — or rather, everyone is wondering: when did Your Majesty have such a deep insight into strategic political issues?