readx;

"Alright, it's almost time!We're having a meeting!" After looking at his watch, Diao Fei greeted him, and everyone straightened up in order. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info Immediately, the originally lively large conference room became audible, and it was very quiet.

Looking at the shining stars on everyone's shoulders, and their increasingly resolute faces after experiencing the cruel war, Diao Fei's heart was calm, and after all the black servants were scattered and incorporated into other divisions, the twenty-one divisions that were still under the Northern Route Army, except for the fifty-eighth and sixty-second divisions still stationed in Pittsburgh, and the forty-ninth division stationed in the southern hills of Erie, the commanders and political commissars of the other eighteen divisions that were still fighting on the front line of Erie had all done so.

Of course, the defense area originally belonging to the Northern Route Army was not only to Pittsburgh, but even the Ohio River extending north from Huntingtown was the defense area of the Northern Route Army, but since the U.S. government continued to increase troops on the Erie front, the defensive pressure on the Erie Line of the Northern Route Army increased greatly, and it had to be transferred from troops from other parts of the defense line, and the remaining defense area was taken over by the Huo Jiajun troops of the Middle Route Army of the American Theater of Operations.

Although this made the defensive pressure on the southern part of the Huojia Army's Lianghe defense line even greater, relying on the wide river channel and the superior river fleet, it did not give the Americans much chance to the troops of the other two defense lines.

"You may be wondering why I let you remove you when the battle was raging?" Diao Fei said with a serious expression as everyone looked at him.

Hearing his words, although most of the officers' faces unexpectedly showed a look of doubt. But they didn't ask, but waited for Diao Fei's next words.

Looking at their expressions, Diao Fei said bluntly: "Because we received a telegram from the theater command, a telegram for us to retreat on all fronts!"

"Commander......!" "Commander......!"

Waving his hand, interrupting what they were about to say, Diao Fei continued: "I know what you want to say, but I will tell you. The order for this retreat was made before the start of this war. According to the orders of the command, we had to retreat to the Vobash River within three days to form a second line of defense. ”

"Time is running out right now, and I don't have the energy to explain it to you. Now all you need to do is to follow the retreat strategy formulated by the headquarters, go back to organize the troops, and carry out the retreat order. ”

After finishing speaking, after Diao Fei signaled to Xi Yong, the political commissar of the North Route Army beside him, Xi Yong stood up and took out a stack of documents from the black folder he was carrying, and handed one to each of the senior officers present.

"Because the headquarters has given us relatively little time this time, and our troops are too concentrated, and the logistics department can only transfer fifty trains to us, according to the number of soldiers and the materials we have in each unit now. It will take at least two and a half days for us to get all the troops to the designated positions. ”

"And during this time, in addition to completing the retreat mission, we also had to guard against the attack of the Americans. So our task is very heavy and dangerous. All units must strictly follow the retreat strategy we have drawn up and strictly restrain their own troops. There must not be the slightest confusion! If something happens to that unit, the military commander of that unit will strictly deal with it in accordance with military regulations!" ......

The meeting ended less than half an hour later. Almost everyone who left had a worried face with them, and the pace under their feet was fast.

And as they returned to the various units, the Huo Jiajun troops on the Yili front line of the Northern Route Army in the entire American Theater all took action. Detachments of troops began to pack their bags, and gradually boarded the trains coming from the rear.

Of course, in the case of the Americans' large-scale pressure on the border, not all of the Huo family troops were able to sit on the military column to the west.

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

"Lai Jun. Have the artillerymen from all units come over?" Huo Linsheng asked with an excited expression as he stood in his headquarters.

As the commander of the 1st Independent Artillery Division, he certainly had reason to be excited. According to the order of the Northern Route Army Headquarters, except for the 1st Cavalry Division, the 3rd Cavalry Division, and the 4th Cavalry Division, which were ordered to provide cover for the retreat of the large army, the other remaining formed units were their artillery divisions.

As one of the two independent artillery divisions that Huo Jiajun has already formed, this time he will command the artillery units of other main divisions in addition to the original more than 200 artillery pieces that are subordinate to the artillery division.

"Just got a report. They are all in place, and now they are waiting for our orders!" Lai Jun, the chief of staff of the 1st Independent Artillery Division, said quickly with excitement in his tone.

As the commander of an artillery unit, there is nothing more exciting than commanding a huge artillery group to deliver a devastating blow to the enemy.

"How many artillery pieces do we have now?" Huo Linsheng asked next.

Hearing this, Lai Jun hurriedly took out the documents that had been counted a long time ago from his folder and handed them over: "Division Commander." Look at it, this time the headquarters has handed over all the artillery of our Northern Route Army to us!"

After listening to his words, Huo Linsheng couldn't wait to grab the document and look at it, only to see that it was clearly written: Caliber, there are 124 new howitzers and cannons with a maximum rate of fire of 8 rounds per minute, 3 rounds per minute with a maximum rate of fire of the same caliber, 54 calibers of howitzers and cannons of the same caliber, 78 new howitzers and cannons with a maximum rate of fire of 4 rounds per minute, and 24 old howitzers and cannons with a maximum rate of fire of 3 rounds per minute of the same caliber, as well as 45 calibers of heavy artillery! In addition, there were 76 fortress guns of caliber and above.

A total of 400 large-caliber heavy guns were installed, in addition to 550 new 75mm field guns with a rate of fire of 25 rounds per minute. Thousands of artillery pieces, according to the weaving of the Huo family's army, are enough to become four artillery divisions.

Looking at this thin document, Huo Linsheng seemed to see a mighty cannon erecting its muzzle in front of him. Thinking that he could command such a huge artillery group, Huo Linsheng's blood seemed to be burning.

"How many shells do we have in stock?" After taking a few breaths hard, and after suppressing the almost boiling battle ** in his heart, Huo Linsheng asked again.

"I have already asked the logistics department of the headquarters, and now we still have 500,000 rounds of 75mm shells in stock, 65,000 rounds of 105 caliber shells, 30,000 rounds of caliber heavy artillery shells, and 5,000 rounds of heavy artillery shells!"

Hearing this, Huo Linsheng couldn't help frowning, "How can we have such a few shells, in addition to 75 caliber shells and 203 caliber heavy artillery shells, 105 caliber and 152 caliber shells are only enough for us to have an hour's artillery intensity! Even if we save a little, we can at most be able to repel two or three attacks by the Americans!"

"Hehe, the division commander doesn't have to worry, this time every military train came over with artillery shells, and the ammunition we have stored in several arms warehouses in Tolando and Cleveland, especially large-caliber shells, will be shipped to us, the number is about one and a half million rounds, enough for us to have thousands of artillery pieces, and nearly four artillery divisions are open to the Americans!"

"Hehe, that's great!" Huo Linsheng said excitedly, as a boxer.

After finishing speaking, Huo Linsheng went back and forth in his headquarters a few times, and after thinking about it for a while, he quickly turned around and said: "Send all the artillery, except for the fortress artillery, all of them will be retreated to three thousand meters behind the fortress defense line!"

The reason why he retreated three thousand meters was that Huo Linsheng also had his own considerations. Because at this distance is basically out of the range of American artillery. Although there will still be large-caliber cannons, with a range of 10,000 meters, they can threaten the artillery positions of the Huo family's army. But if you really want to hit this distance, you basically don't have to think about hitting, and dozens of kilograms of shells don't know where to float at this time.

Of course, the range of 3,000 meters will also cause a dilemma for Huo Jiajun's 75mm gun, but compared with the Americans, Huo Jiajun has airship shooting, and the accuracy is much stronger than that of the Americans. Moreover, the biggest task of their artillery now is not to suppress the American artillery at the beginning, but to become a real fire cover, to ensure the safety of the Huojia Army's Yili defense line with the most fierce artillery fire, and to buy time for the retreat of the large army.

"Yes, division commander! I'll go and deliver the order!" After listening to his words, Lai Jun hurriedly ran out.

――――――――――――――――――――

Watch as the troops, led by their respective commanders, board the trains, and then quickly sound their whistles and head west. Diao Fei's face couldn't help but rise with a moment of melancholy.

"What, why are you still a little unhappy?" Xi Yong, the political commissar of the North Route Army who was following him, couldn't help but ask with a smile after seeing Diao Fei's face at this time.

After a pause, Diao Fei said again: "It's been nearly two months, and we have been working hard every day to hold this line of defense, and our soldiers have sacrificed their lives for this line of defense, and now they are suddenly about to retreat!

After saying this, Diao Fei shook his head again, and said with a hint of sarcasm: "It's really strange, I have fought so many battles before, and I haven't been as sentimental as this time." Alas, it seems that I am still not very qualified as a military commander!"

Hearing this, Xi Yong smiled, "Hehe, it's not that serious! It's the first time to command so many troops to fight, and the battle situation is so tragic, no matter who it is, it's not very psychologically comfortable! What's more, we have to organize a retreat now without winning the war! Although we are subordinate to the grand strategic layout of the entire Americas, there is a psychological hurdle in the past! Everyone is the same!"