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In April, the weather in the West Siberian Plain cleared. The permafrost, which has melted due to warmer temperatures, has also been dried in the sun. This made the march of the Imperial army no longer affected. And the imminent offensive of the imperial army against the Russian army has also been put on the agenda. A large number of troops began to move to the front, and artillery pieces also appeared in the positions of the front.

The large-scale movement of the Chinese * army, which naturally cannot be hidden from the Russians. This made all fronts of the Russian army nervous. A large number of Russian troops entered the positions, and they looked in horror at the positions of the Chinese* troops opposite, for fear that they would launch a surprise attack.

The commander of the Russian army in charge of the eastern line of defense was Count Berg, the Russian field marshal. Although he was sixty-one years old, Count Berg had already taken on the responsibility of the eastern defense line to block the attack of the Chinese army. Facing the Chinese* army gathered in the Ural Mountains and the eastern part of the Ural River, Count Berg felt tremendous pressure.

Although, he also has two million Russian troops in his hands. However, he knows very well what kind of goods the Russian army in his hands is. These Russian troops are all recruits who were recruited last year. At most, they fought a few battles with the Ottoman Turkish army, and they were all defeated. However, this is already the most elite unit of the Russian Army now. The real elite units of the Russian Army were lost in last year's war. They were either killed by the Chinese* army, or they had already entered the prisoner of war camp of the Chinese* army.

"Your Excellency, Marshal. The Chinese are moving very frequently. We have reason to believe that the Chinese will launch a large-scale attack on us in the near future. And Orenburg, where our command is located. It will undoubtedly be the place where the Chinese will focus on attacking! A young general said to Count Berg. His name was Baryatinsky, although he was only forty years old. But already a general of the Russian Army. At the same time, he also has the title of duke, which is two ranks higher than that of Count Berg. This time, he appeared on the battlefield as Chief of Staff to Count Berg. If it weren't for the fact that he was too young to convince other generals, perhaps Alexander II would have directly appointed him commander of the Russian army on the Eastern Front.

"There is no doubt that the Chinese will attack after the arrival of spring. After all, the Chinese are not willing to drag it out any longer. The Chinese have now achieved decisive superiority on the battlefield everywhere. The United States was even more destroyed by China, except for the European theater. The Chinese have already won! Count Berg said. The Chinese Empire has been preparing for this war for a long time, and even did not hesitate to concoct an excuse to brazenly launch an invasion of Russia, presumably in order to destroy Russia.

"Your Excellency, what should we do? The Chinese are menacing. Our defenses are fairly strong, though. But if you want to resist the attack of the Chinese, I'm afraid it will not be easy! Duke Baryatinsky said.

"Yes, the gap between us and the Chinese is too big. But, as a Russian* soldier, we have to fight for Russia. Although the current situation is very critical. But we don't have a choice. If we can keep the Chinese out of Eastern Europe, Russia may have a chance. If we fail, then Russia will be completely finished! Count Berg said.

"Your Excellency, Marshal. I'm sure we'll be able to do it! Duke Baryatinsky said firmly.

Count Berg nodded, why didn't he want that? But. In the face of a formidable enemy, it is not possible to win with firm faith. After all. The Chinese Army has proven its prestige to the world through a series of wars!

On the morning of April 4, 1855. Twenty kilometers from Orenburg on the eastern bank of the Ural River. Lieutenant General Zhang Wei, commander of the 1st Army of the Imperial Army, appeared here. According to the order of General Sun Hao, the 1st and 2nd armies were to be responsible for the attack on Orenburg. In addition, if the offensive did not go well, they could also be supported by the 4th and 5th armies. In this way, the total strength of the attack on Orenburg will reach 4 army groups and more than 800,000 people.

Of course, the confident Lieutenant General Zhang Wei believes that although the army on the opposite side is as many as 800,000. However, with the strength of the 1st and 2nd armies, it was already enough to defeat the Russian army on the opposite side. The only trouble is probably the Ural River, which divides the two continents of Asia and Europe. Now the Ural River, because the snow is beginning to melt, is gradually entering the flood season. Although the river is not wide, if it takes a while, it will not be so easy to cross the Urals. As for the bridge over the river, it has long been blown up by the Russians.

Although, these bridges were built by the Russians with a lot of money. But now, in order to defend Russia, they have to blow up all these bridges. The intention was to rely on the river as a moat to block the westward advance of the Chinese army.

"How's the ship collecting? We need to force our way across the river and occupy a solid beachhead, and then the sappers will be able to build a pontoon bridge! Lieutenant General Zhang Wei said. Although the river is only 50 or 60 meters wide, the river is not turbulent. However, the ice and snow melt is already bitterly cold, and if you want to wade across the river, it is simply impossible.

"Commander, the Russians have burned almost all the boats along the coast, and we have only found a few dozen small boats. However, last winter, we built more than two hundred small boats on our own, and now it comes in handy! At one time, it is possible to send almost two battalions of troops across the river. It's just that there are too few troops for two wins. Once it encounters the onslaught of the Russians, I am afraid it will be difficult to hold on! Lieutenant General Zhou Laosi, chief of staff of the 1st Group Army, said.

"Two battalions, that's too little!" Lieutenant General Zhang Wei frowned. If it is winter, the river is already frozen, and if you want to cross the Urals, you will not have any problems. But now, it's not so easy.

"Still, Commander. We are well placed to provide cover for our troops with strong firepower. Even the erection of crane guns and light machine guns on the east bank of the river is enough to suppress the Russian army on the other side of the river. It's a big deal, we have more artillery and machine guns to focus on suppressing the Russians. Use powerful firepower to clear the way for the Empire's river-crossing troops. With a river surface several tens of meters wide, it is not difficult for sappers to erect a pontoon bridge, and it is estimated that it can be done in less than half an hour. Once the pontoon bridge is erected, it will not be so easy for the Russian army to drive us down the river again! Lieutenant General Zhou Laosi said.

"Hmmm! Then do as you say! Tomorrow morning at seven o'clock in the morning, a fierce attack will be launched on the positions of the Russian army. The infantry corps had to launch a feint to contain the strength of the Russian army. On the side of the 2nd Army, I will contact General Zhao. Lieutenant General Zhang Wei said.

"Yes, Commander. I'm going to prepare! Lieutenant General Zhou Laosi nodded.

At 8 a.m. on April 5, 1855, the Imperial Army's campaign to break through the Russian army's defensive line based on the Ural Mountains and the Ural River officially began. Six armies, millions of troops launched an offensive against the Russian defense line on a front of thousands of kilometers.

In the Orenburg direction, the 1st and 2nd armies of the Imperial Army, which gathered hundreds of heavy guns, as well as thousands of field guns and howitzers of various types, launched a fierce artillery attack on the Russian defense line.

For a while, the artillery rumbled, and a large number of shells continued to smash at the positions of the Russian army as if they did not need money. In the face of heavy artillery shelling by the Imperial Army, the Russian troops had to withdraw from their front-line positions and hide in anti-artillery holes.

The Russian artillery also launched a counterattack, but the Russian army was far from being able to compare with the Imperial Army in terms of the number and performance of its artillery. So much so that the artillery of the Russian army, from the very beginning, was at the point of being suppressed.

When the artillery fire began to extend to the depth of the Russian army after half an hour. In more than a dozen places, the Imperial Army approached the Ural River and made a posture to cross the river. This made the Russian army very nervous, and had to hurriedly mobilize troops to the front line to prepare to intercept the Chinese army.

However, when the Russians entered the position, what awaited them was a raindrop of shells. After the Imperial Army approached the banks of the Ural River, it erected a large number of mortars and fired shells directly into the trenches of the Russian army, causing a large number of casualties to the Russian army.

At the same time, a large number of heavy machine guns and light machine guns erected by the Imperial Army also frantically strafed the positions of the Russian troops, and the Russian troops could not even raise their heads, so they could only retreat in the trenches, constantly praying to God that the shells would not fall on their heads.

The large-scale offensive of the Chinese army also attracted the attention of the commanders of the Russian army. They also focused their goals on where the Imperial Army concentrated its firepower.

At this time, about twenty kilometers from Orenburg. The 1st Infantry Corps of the 1st Army of the Imperial Army, two battalions under the command of the 1st Brigade, were ready for a surprise attack. With the help of the weeds on the shore, more than two hundred small boats are hidden inside. When the attention of the Russian army was attracted by the feint troops, the soldiers of the 1st Brigade of the Imperial Army launched an attack.

The soldiers, carrying the boat, rushed to the river and lowered the boat into the river. Then he got into a small boat and began to row desperately to the other side of the river. In the woods not far from the bank of the river, the sappers of the 1st Army of the Imperial Army were also waiting. Once the soldiers of the 1st Brigade have established themselves on the other side of the river, they will immediately build pontoon bridges to clear the way for the Army to cross the river. (A good event for pie in the sky, cool mobile phones are waiting for you!) Follow from ~ Dian/Chinese network public account (WeChat add friends - add public account - enter ddxiaoshuo), participate now! Everyone has a prize, now pay attention to ddxiaoshuo WeChat public account! (To be continued......)

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