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- Chapter 859 The Navy, Army, and Marine Corps join forces in Alexandria!
The main target of the howitzer's attack is the enemy's artillery position.
Facing the powerful 105mm howitzer, the smoothbore cannon of the Ottoman Empire was no match at all. After several rounds of shelling, all the smoothbore cannons were blown to pieces and were in disarray. As for the so-called artillerymen of the Ottoman Empire, they were all dead, injured, and those who were still able to move disappeared.
However, the enemy was unwilling to give up his plan of retreat easily. Even without the cover of artillery, they still had to persist in the attack. There was no way, they really didn't want to stay in Damascus and wait to die. If they could open up the land passage to Homs, they might have a slight chance of survival. If you can't get through, you might as well die here. You must know that waiting for death to come is a very painful thing. This is true even if you believe in the true God.
Naturally, the White Army would not be polite to the Ottoman Empire's attack. Howitzers, mortars, heavy machine guns, submachine guns, and semi-automatic rifles all opened fire. The entire unknown highland was filled with flames sprayed by bullets. The area around the nameless highland became a sea of ??blood. The dry land here has absorbed so much blood that it can no longer absorb it. The excess blood gathered into large and small streams and flowed around.
Without the cover of artillery and having to withstand the bombardment of artillery fire from the White Army, the attack of the Damascus defenders became even more difficult. Every time they take a step forward, they have to pay a heavy price. Under the raging fire, they were like scarecrows, completely torn apart. However, these troops from Damascus were not willing to retreat easily. They continued to move forward and continued to struggle until they were completely defeated.
Xu Canhuai suddenly felt that his father was still very cruel in some aspects. He wholeheartedly wants to eradicate the Green Sect from its roots and make the Green Sect completely disappear from this world. There was no room for compromise in his determination. This caused the White Army to appear particularly tough and cruel to the Green Sect when formulating policies. This means that at least tens of millions of Green Religion believers must fall under the butcher knife of the White Army.
This is tens of millions of living lives! In front of the army in white, their lives were too fragile. Since the White Army entered the West Asian region, almost everywhere it passed was a wilderness, with rivers of blood and nine empty houses. The Japanese slave army, the Korean slave army, and the Malay slave army, which are specifically responsible for clearing out Green Sect believers, will not let anyone believe in Green Sect, regardless of whether they are male or female, old or young.
Xu Canhuai can¡¯t understand why these stupid people refuse to change their beliefs? As long as they are willing to abandon their beliefs and convert to Buddhism, Taoism, or Hinduism, they can have a chance of survival. But, they didn't, they foolishly chose death. In this case, the White Army had no choice but to help them.
After a day of fighting, the average thickness of corpses in front of the unknown highland has increased by at least two layers. Xu Canhuai conservatively estimated that in one day's battle, at least 80,000 enemies were killed by the various firepower of the White Army. By the end of the battle, everyone in the white army was numb. They no longer have any passion for killing their enemies. Because those enemies simply came here to die. They might as well commit suicide!
However, the huge losses still cannot stop the determination of the Damascus army to retreat. In the following days, they continued to send troops to harass the unknown highlands. Each time, they pay a huge price. It is estimated that less than 20% of the enemies participating in the attack will eventually return to Damascus. The rest are all lying around the unknown high ground. This caused the number of corpses around the unknown highlands to continue to increase.
As for the White Army, life is also very difficult. After several days of fighting, there were actually no casualties on the White Army side. However, due to the hot weather, a large number of corpses were piled up, rotting and smelly, and the entire unknown highland was shrouded in a strong corpse smell. As time goes by, more and more corpses are rotting, and the smell of corpses is getting stronger and stronger.
When it¡¯s windy, it¡¯s a little better. The breeze can slightly dissipate the smell of corpses and bring fresh air to the unknown highlands. If there is no wind, the smell of corpses can be completely suffocating. The white-coated soldiers stationed at the unknown highlands had to wear masks. Moreover, masks must be soaked in special liquid to remove unpleasant odors.
Even so, the taste of the nameless highlands still cannot last long. Normal people would vomit after staying up there for three days. Xu Canhuai was simply smoked and passed out. It was Lei Hu and others who pinched him to wake him up. There was no other way, so Li Zicheng and others had no choice but to formulate a rotating garrison system. They deployed another squadron, and Sun Dasheng's squadron, take turns to be stationed in order to reduce the harm caused by the smell of corpses to the white-coated officers and soldiers.
Such intermittent fighting lasted for about three months. The Ottoman Imperial Army in the direction of Damascus never gave up its attack on the unknown highlands. They send out troops to fight for it every day. Sometimes there are about one or two thousand people. When it was small, there were only three or four hundred people. Rather than saying that they came to compete for the nameless highlands, it is better that they came to the nameless highlands to seek death when they were desperate.
The attentive Xu Canhuai counted carefully and found that the number of enemies killed in the battle was at least more than 300,000. This is just a conservative estimate. Perhaps, the exact number should be more than 400,000. It is rare to see so many casualties in a fight for a small high ground. It can be seen that the Green Sect, from top to bottom, does not regard human life as a thing at all.
Of course, the defenders of Damascus don¡¯t want to live anymore, which is probably an important reason. Instead of hiding in Damascus and suffering, they might as well come out and give it a try. Perhaps, one day, the true God finally appears, and they can escape from the sea of ??suffering. It's a pity that so far, the true God, who claims to be omnipresent and omnipotent, has never appeared.
It was not until September 1635 that all three consecutive months of attacks failed, and the Damascus defenders had no choice but to give up their efforts to retreat. From the beginning to now, their losses have exceeded 500,000 people. Among them, there are many main troops. The only thing they can do now is to wait helplessly to die in Damascus.
And the White Army also mobilized enough troops in these three months to launch the final attack on Damascus. Due to the need for ammunition and other logistical reserves, the White Army's preparation time seemed a bit long. The first to arrive outside Damascus was the troops led by Li Zicheng. Subsequently, the troops led by Zhang Xianzhong also rushed to the designated location.
One battalion of troops cannot capture Damascus. Therefore, two battalions of troops were mobilized to carry out the final general attack on Damascus. In addition to this, the 105mm howitzer must also be strengthened. This is a powerful weapon to destroy the city. Of course, the 155mm howitzer is more powerful and has better siege effect. However, due to the needs of fighting on the northern front, the 155mm howitzer was temporarily left in Aleppo and did not go south to Damascus.
Xu Canhuai did not follow Lei Hu's team this time, but followed Li Zicheng. Because what happened before made Gao Jie and Mao Shisan feel that it was too risky. The two of them knew Xu Canhuai's true identity. At first, Xu Xingxia said something to them casually, and they volunteered to take Xu Canhuai over.
Although Xu Xingxia told them not to give Xu Canhuai special care, just treat him like an ordinary soldier. However, if something unexpected happens to Xu Canhuai, they will still feel very guilty. The front line is the most prone to accidents. Therefore, the two of them appointed Li Zicheng to take Xu Canhuai with him and not allow him to run around. Li Zicheng didn't know what to do, so he resolutely carried out the order.
And Xu Canhuai has experienced several battles and has a full understanding of the bloody battlefield, so he will naturally not ask to go to the battlefield again. It's not that he's afraid of death, it's just that it's not necessary. All he needs is to know, no long-term participation is required. His identity determines that he cannot fight like an ordinary person. He still has a lot to learn. Therefore, during the attack on Damascus, he honestly made a paperwork.
The so-called clerk¡¯s responsibilities are actually very complicated. It seems that you have to do a little bit of everything, but it seems that you don¡¯t need to do anything to the end. Most of the things are actually done by the staff and do not require the intervention of the clerk. Among the various regulations of the White Army, it seems that none of them are specifically targeted at the position of clerk. As for writing letters to the soldiers, it seemed that it was not Xu Canhuai's turn.
As a result, the clerk Xu Canhuai stayed with Li Zicheng, doing nothing more than making some simple records. Occasionally, look at the map and read various military information. However, he is not a staff officer, and is not even qualified to participate in military meetings. Naturally, he will not think about how to arrange troops, nor does he need to worry about various emergencies.
When he was bored, Xu Canhuai was more interested in the logistics of the army. At this time, the logistical burden of the White Army reached its limit. There are many complaints in the various reports sent by the logistics department. Some people even bluntly said that if this continues, they will give up. As a result, Xu Canhuai's eyes were attracted.
Objectively speaking, Xu Xingxia has not paid much attention to the logistics of the army since the establishment of the White Army. In the cold weapon era, the importance of logistics was basically only food. As long as the supply of food can be guaranteed, everything else will be fine. In the era of hot weapons, the key to logistics is not only food but also ammunition, and there can be no sloppiness.
With the development of the White Army, it has becomeThe firearms army has a large number of equipment with various automatic firearms. The power of automatic firearms is certainly powerful and unstoppable, but the logistical requirements have also been raised several notches. All ammunition for frontline troops needs to be transported from the distant rear. If there is not enough ammunition supply, the automatic firearms in the hands of the white army troops are not as effective as fire sticks.
Fortunately, most of the White Army soldiers are accustomed to saving ammunition. If everyone was like Xu Canhuai did before, when they met the enemy and subconsciously fired all the magazines, I'm afraid the people in the logistics department would have hanged themselves and cursed their mothers. However, even if the frontline troops try to save money and reduce the burden on the logistics department, the pressure on the logistics department is still very great. There is no way, the transportation line is too long.
Specifically, the White Army troops fighting on the front line of Damascus have their military supplies, including guns and ammunition, shipped from Leizhou Peninsula and other places. Transport ships one after another departed from the Leizhou Peninsula, heading to the South Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Persian Gulf, and finally docked at the Basra port to unload the ammunition and supplies, and then transported them to Baghdad by land.
After the White Army occupied Baghdad, they turned it into a huge logistics warehouse. A large amount of materials from the rear were gathered here and then distributed to various battlefields. The distance from Baghdad to Damascus is still quite long, and transportation must be carried out by horses and camels. If people carry it on their shoulders, the cost will be too high and it will simply not be able to meet the needs of the front line.
Later, the White Army occupied Aleppo, and it became a transit point for supplies. A large amount of supplies transferred from Baghdad are gathered in Aleppo. Now, in addition to being the front line blocking reinforcements from Istanbul, Aleppo is also the logistics base for the attack on Damascus. All military supplies needed on the Damascus front line were transported from Aleppo.
¡°Obviously, the transportation line from Leizhou Peninsula to Damascus is indeed too long. So long that its distance cannot be accurately calculated. We can only give a rough estimate of the time. Sea transportation takes about three months, and land transportation also takes about three months. All added up, it takes half a year. In other words, the bullets Xu Canhuai and the others are using now were sent from the Leizhou Peninsula at least six months ago.
As for food and the like, it is mainly transported from Nanyang and other places, and some is transported from Tianzhu and other places. The distance is slightly closer, but not much closer. Moreover, due to the large consumption of food, the logistics department faces greater transportation pressure. If the frontline troops don't have enough food, they will starve to death.
In the past, there were only a few thousand people under the Logistics Department of the White Army. But now, the White Army's Logistics Department has more than 100,000 employees and more than 1,000 ships. This is still directly employed personnel. As for the number of people and ships indirectly employed, no one knows. Anyway, in order to supply the needs of the front line, the Logistics Department has become the largest and most bloated department under the Supreme Committee of the White Army.
The attack on Damascus is exactly the limit of the White Army¡¯s logistical supplies. Because, according to the original setting, when the White Army attacked Istanbul, all logistical materials would be transported by sea. After the White Navy takes control of the Mediterranean, the transport ships of the Logistics Department will continuously transport military supplies to the Mediterranean. However, at present, the White Army Navy has not yet entered the Mediterranean Sea, and transport ships cannot unload cargo at ports in the Mediterranean Sea.
Fortunately, from a long-term perspective, the White Army¡¯s next logistical supply will mainly be completed through various ports in the Mediterranean. The fall of Damascus is certain. No one can stop the attack of the White Army. After capturing Damascus, all ports along the Mediterranean coast will be controlled by the White Army, and all ports will be used. The cost of sea transportation is much lower and more efficient than land transportation. Hundreds of transport ships arrived one after another, enough for the White Army to launch a major battle.
¡¡
The time to attack Damascus was set on December 15, 1635 AD. On this day, the weather was fine and the sky was cloudless. Even though it is winter, the temperature is still relatively comfortable. In West Asia, there is a large temperature difference between day and night. Temperatures are pleasant during the day, but cooler at night.
Xu Canhuai followed Li Zicheng to the front line to observe the movements in Damascus. Looking through the telescope, the city wall of Damascus is actually not very strong. Compared with the big cities and towns in China, it is simply too shabby. Such a city wall actually does not require a 105mm caliber howitzer. Even a 75mm caliber field gun can be blasted open smoothly. As for the powerful gun bag, it goes without saying.
In fact, before this, Damascus had no city walls at all. In the past, Damascus had almost no threat from foreign enemies, so it naturally did not need a city wall. Moreover, the urban area of ??Damascus is also constantly expanding.Even if there was a city wall, it was destroyed. In fact, the construction of the walls of Damascus was only started after Baghdad was breached.
However, the West Asian region has always lacked a sufficient amount of wood, which resulted in low efficiency and slow progress by the Ottoman Empire's army when building city walls. Although wood will not be directly applied to city walls and will not be used to replace stone, wood is still very important as brackets, supports, fuel and other equipment. Without enough wood, there will definitely be constraints from many aspects when building the city wall.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Thirty-six 105 mm caliber howitzers roared at the city wall of Damascus for about 20 minutes, firing about three to four thousand rounds, and the city wall of Damascus was successfully destroyed. A total of five gaps were opened, and Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong commanded their respective troops to enter the city. The defenders in the city had long been disinclined to fight and were running around. Any idiot can imagine what outcome awaits them.
Recruits like Xu Canhuai are clerks and cannot run around. Basically, they are only there to watch the fun. By the time he could enter the city, all the enemies in the city had been almost eliminated. The streets were littered with the corpses of defenders. It can be seen that before they died, they seemed to have a sense of relief and no nostalgia at all. It is estimated that they have been tortured by the White Army for so long, and they can no longer bear it. Death is liberation.
The gunfire in Damascus quickly subsided. Xu Canhuai was wandering around the city alone. I have to admit, Damascus is indeed beautiful. The palace here is very unique. Because there was no fierce fighting after the White Army entered the city, most of the buildings were well preserved. Xu Canhuai took out his notebook and recorded everything.
He believed that it was absolutely necessary for his father to come to Damascus to experience it in person. This town is really beautiful. Xu Xingxia could definitely bring his mother and various aunts here to experience life and enjoy the exotic customs.
Xu Canhuai believes that after the White Army takes control of this place, it will definitely become more beautiful. Faintly, he had the urge to settle in Damascus for a long time. What he didn't expect was that his wish would actually come true in the future. Of course, these are all things for later.
Most of the Ottoman Empire troops stationed in Damascus were annihilated near the west of the city. The few remaining people fled south. If the guess is correct, the target of their escape should be Cairo.
"keep going!"
"Target! Cairo!"
Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong quickly issued orders.
Later Cairo, with a population of more than 16 million, was the largest city in the Arab world. Almost everyone knows about the pyramids in Cairo. However, in the seventeenth century, it was just a small provincial capital of the Ottoman Empire, unknown. In terms of status, it is almost the same as Homs, but not as good as Aleppo.
This is why the defenders of Damascus must retreat to the north instead of to the south. They didn't even think about Cairo. They knew very well that even if they could successfully retreat to Cairo, they would not be able to hold on for long. It's a dead end anyway, so there's no need to go through this in vain.
¡° However, the White Army is completely different. As a time traveler, Xu Xingxia attaches great importance to Cairo. Before the White Army Army arrived in Cairo, a White Army Navy squadron, carrying a battalion of Marines, landed in the innermost part of the Red Sea. Their goal was to capture Cairo from land.
In the summer of 1636 AD, the White Army Marine Corps officially entered Cairo. Two months later, the Army White Army troops marching south from Damascus met up with the Marine Corps in Cairo. Both sides joined forces and headed north to Alexandria. Cairo is not a port. The closest port to Cairo is Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast.
At this time, the Fourth Fleet of the White Army Navy had forced back the combined fleet of the Western powers and entered the Mediterranean Sea. The Ninth Fleet, as the vanguard, marched straight into Alexandria. At this time, the Ottoman Imperial Army stationed in Alexandria had long fled to no one knows where. The white army navy successfully occupied Alexandria.
The arrival of the Army in White and the Marine Corps in White announced the formal meeting of the Navy, Army and Marine Corps in White. The brothers Xu Canxu and Xu Canhuai also officially met on the battlefield.
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