Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Chapter 54 A Plausible Plan (2)

"What? With Baltic Fleet joined, reversely dangerous if enemy forces fleet decisive battle."

"Even those Russians can't easily enter the strait between Korea and Japan."

"Korea, Korea is the problem. They've long been making Manchuria and Maritime Province stepping stones for expansion."

"We too must make Korea a stepping stone to have a chance in land battle."

"Need solid rear to have strength to advance. Must occupy Korea's ports and railways first. Hanyang? Of course must surprise attack and not let even a mouse escape."

Third conclusion: Must quickly eat Korea upon war start. For this, must start war with preemptive strike giving enemy no chance to advance south.

"Port Arthur? Physically impossible to station all fleets there. If any, Pacific Fleet at most."

"So remaining ships will station at Vladivostok port. Then war must start in winter when Vladivostok freezes!"

"Conversely speaking, must push up with land battle as much as possible before Vladivostok port thaws!"

Final conclusion: Fight war in winter. Also can grasp initiative in both Yellow Sea and East Sea limited to winter, making rear landing operations possible too.

After notable figures gathered at Imperial General Headquarters beforehand to analyze friendly and enemy forces and run all war simulations, their final strategy was:

"Their defensive facilities built across all Manchuria and Liaodong must be amazing as rumored!"

"Rear landing is essential to easily occupy these."

"So start war with surprise in winter, quickly occupy Korea with some forces while remaining armies strike straight to Yalu River."

"Here! If we quickly push back enemy and raise front line as much as possible within winter?"

"Can smoothly supply conscripts from homeland to Manchuria while having superior frontline maintenance ability than enemy."

Though having disadvantage that absolutely can't proceed to next stage if one thing goes wrong, Imperial General Headquarters was confident it was a realistic tactic with no impossible goals.

To this, Prime Minister Ito asked:

"...Though single track, Trans-Siberian Railway completes soon. Their main army, that is, forces in Europe can come too. Can we truly maintain front in Manchuria without defeat?"

"Even maintaining 1:1 combat ratio, there's huge difference between us directly sending to Manchuria versus them sending forces from thousands of kilometers away in Europe. We absolutely won't be pushed back. Please believe us!"

"I'll believe General Oyama Iwao's words, since he did well in the last war too."

Thus the war plan, meticulously crafted and ultimately approved by Army General Staff Chief Oyama Iwao and Prime Minister Ito, emerged as the blueprint for what was to come. The careful deliberation behind each strategic element reflected both men's deep military experience and political acumen.

"The fortress commander was Roman Kondratenko? What did that guy do to the fortress? Moreover wasn't Yalu River an advance fortress, like European border posts?"

Looking at battles so far, clearly there were underground passages plus supply warehouses and stockpiles at certain locations.

Probably invisible from outside fortress, but through these the enemy seems to be endlessly sucking in supplies and adding appropriate personnel deployment.

January. Already half of winter passed.

At earliest late February, latest early March, Russia's three fleets sleeping in Vladivostok will end their winter sleep.

Finally the conclusion of commanders leading each army was uniform.

"More troops! Stronger offensive!"

"Know casualties are high! But must break through now! Otherwise all war plans Imperial General Headquarters built for years become distorted!"

Though meeting unexpected obstacle, they would advance to Manchuria even paying more blood.

Since defensive positions couldn't grow legs and run away, Roman received this head-on.

Just charged higher price for the fortress than their expectations.

"Quickly rebuild collapsed areas even with sandbags! Observation troops report enemy battery positions to rear immediately! Our rear artillery will handle shelling!"

Though fortress gradually collapsed and casualties grew as enemy offensive strengthened.

Russian army morale reached sky high with fortress's sky-high daily blood price.

"Just cross that fortress!"

"Looking at this, one would think Yalu River is Japan's homeland."

"If we can just head to Manchuria!"

"Hmm, should first report to Chairman Bunge we got fortress's worth."

"Aaaaargh!"

"Such attire, not cold in January? Corpses look wasted after a month like beriberi spreading."

Though enemy clearly repeated reinforcements several times beyond combat ratio consideration.

"Still manageable indeed."

Roman and Russian army had no intention of giving up Yalu River yet.