The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 201: Chapter 193: End of the Russo-Japanese War_3

It was impossible to have troops from other regions support them in such a short period of time. The reserve forces on the right flank had only about 10,000 soldiers left, and they couldn’t possibly help with the war on the right flank.

To protect the left flank, the two army groups of the left flank could only remain stationary. Marshal Kuropatkin Johnson once again ordered the reserves to return to the right flank to protect its positions.

But this was a front spanning hundreds of kilometers, and the back and forth of the reserve forces left the soldiers exhausted.

On the fifth day, the reserve forces successfully returned without any time for rest, and went straight into the battlefield.

With the advantage in numbers, the Island Nation’s main force attacked the right flank of the Russian army while simultaneously launching an assault on the Russian left flank as well.

The attack on the left flank was relatively evenly matched, but the Islanders’ objective was merely to hold back the Russian left flank.

As the Island Nation’s main forces repeatedly attacked, casualties on the Russian’s right flank increased, and their defense lines gradually shrank.

To save the collapsing right flank, Kuropatkin Johnson ordered the Russian left flank to abandon its positions and retreat to the north of the Hun River to compress the battle line and transfer some troops to reinforce the right flank.

But the Island Nation’s numerical advantage was too great, and such relocation was not enough to balance the right flank.

With the Manchu Military Headquarters sending another force to the Russian left flank, the balance previously held by the left flank was broken, and both the left and right flanks fell into disadvantage.

In mid-November, the Island Nation’s forces broke through the first Army Group’s defenses and began to flank towards Fengtian from the left flank.

Marshal Kuropatkin Johnson couldn’t sit still any longer. Once the Island Nation’s forces successfully flanked, more than a hundred thousand Russian troops in the Far East would be surrounded by the Island Nation’s army.

Loss of these hundred thousand troops would leave the Far East Region exposed and ripe for the picking.

In a panic, Marshal Kuropatkin Johnson ordered the entire Russian army to retreat urgently towards Ironridge.

Due to the suddenness of the order, the retreat of the entire Russian army was chaotic.

The cavalry, having not participated in previous skirmishes, were prioritized during the retreat.

However, the baggage train of the cavalry severely blocked the withdrawal route, and many soldiers lost their way, causing a breakdown in communication between different units.

The Island Nation’s forces seized the opportunity and launched a barrage attack on the retreating Russian army, followed by a final assault.

This led to nearly a quarter of the Russian army encircled by the Island Nation’s forces, but their main force managed a successful withdrawal.

After enduring a series of hard-fought battles, the Island Nation’s forces had no strength left to pursue, so their main focus shifted to annihilating the encircled Russian troops.

If the fall of Port Arthur was the first blow to the Russian Empire, the disastrous defeat in this major battle was the second blow.

News of the defeat reached Russia, and Far East Army Commander Kuropatkin Johnson was relieved of duty, with Niall Li appointed as the new Far East Army Commander.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Russia initiated a third round of conscription domestically and assembled some warships from the waters of Europe to form the Pacific Ocean Second Fleet in a vain attempt to regain maritime superiority in the Far East Region.

The course of the war had surpassed the expectations of both Russia and the Island Nation.

Although the Island Nation gained the upper hand in the Far East situation, both countries had paid a heavy price for this war.

Up to now, more than a million troops have been deployed by both parties, and the total mobilized forces have exceeded two million.

Since February, the war had lasted until November.

At present, both Russia and the Island Nation had spent over 50 million pounds on the war.

Although the Island Nation had achieved its strategic objectives, they still suffered heavy casualties.

At least 100,000 Islander soldiers were killed in the war, and 300,000 soldiers sustained injuries of varying severity.

The Russian army’s casualties were also significant. Although early defensive battles resulted in fewer casualties than the Island Nation, later encounters gradually inflicted increasing pain on the Russian Army.

At least 80,000 Russian soldiers died in the war, and over 200,000 soldiers were injured.

In mid-December, with the arrival of the Pacific Ocean Second Fleet, Russia regained its advantage at sea.

Continuous influx of Russian soldiers arrived via the Siberian Railway, barely maintaining the ground situation.

But both countries could not accept this equilibrium. At the moment, every day the war continued would cost both Russia and the Island Nation at least 100,000 pounds.

Especially when launching large-scale battles, the consumption would increase several times over.

Which country could withstand such a massive consumption? Even a once-strong British Empire was dragged down in two battles due to this kind of attrition, let alone the economically and industrially backward Russian Empire and the Island Nation.

At the end of December, with the arrival of the new year, both countries could no longer bear the huge costs and launched a new round of offensives.

For this offensive, Russia and the Island Nation had prepared for a month, accumulating enough weapons and ammunition for a long battle.

Of course, to amass these stocks, they had also spent several million pounds of funds and a multitude of resources.