Chapter 328 Armenia

After Sea Cucumber Weiden boarded the train to the Caucasus region, Jiang Baili leaned alone by the car window, silently looking at the trees and scenery that were rapidly regressing outside the car window...

Although Jiang Baili was no different on the surface from usual, he was extremely excited in private. For this reason, Jiang Baili, who was very self-controlled on weekdays, even drank several glasses of wine in front of his wife Jiang Zuomei...

Currently, it is mainly divided into three factions within the National Defense Forces. One is the direct Sichuan faction brought out by Yan Guang from Sichuan, the other is the Beiyang faction composed of the original Beiyang remains, and the last is a new faction from the local origin.

Because one-third of the elite troops in the country are from Sichuan, the Sichuan faction is the strongest among the three factions. The second is the Beiyang faction composed of the remnants of the Beiyang faction. Although the Beiyang faction has a small number of troops, it is also very strong due to its strong qualities.

Only new factions from local origins are loose, and the troops are of low quality, so their strength is the weakest among the three factions.

Although Cai E was born in the Dian Army, and was also the founder and direct leader of the Dian Army, because Cai E led the Dian Army to join the Northern Expedition during the Northern Expedition, and Yan Guang's strong support, Cai E was able to become the position of Chief of Staff of the Ministry of National Defense.

Of course, because Cai E was not from the Sichuan department, it was still very controversial in the National Defense Forces that Cai E's position as Chief of Staff. After all, the position of Chief of Staff is by no means an ordinary position. When the Minister of Defense is just an honorary title, there is no difference between the General Staff managed by the Chief of Staff and the General Command of the National Defense Forces.

Such a position will be something that no matter what faction it is.

However, during the Battle of Shandong, Cai E led his army to defeat the Japanese Expeditionary Force and gained considerable prestige in the country. As a result, Cai E, the position of Chief of Staff, was finally as stable as a rock. Even if others covet it, there was no way, let alone Cai E and Yan Guang's support.

But there is no way to deal with Cai E, but it does not mean that there is no way to deal with Jiang Baili.

In the National Defense Forces, although Jiang Baili was not as powerful as Cai E, he also served as the Chief of Staff of the Army, and was only under Wang Yaowu and Cai E in the entire National Defense Forces.

Moreover, in terms of real power, the Chief of Staff of the Army can command more than one million national defense army, even within the government, and is an absolute real power figure.

Such a person was actually dug out from an unknown corner after Yan Guang captured Beijing. Although it is said that he is comparable to Cai E in terms of ability, except for accompanying Wang Yaowu to rectify military affairs, he has no real record at all...

Therefore, although Yan Guang was protected by the National Defense Forces, Jiang Baili was under a lot of pressure, especially after Cai E won the Shandong Battle.

It is precisely for Jiang Baili to lead the expeditionary force alone to expedition to the Caucasus. This opportunity is really important to Jiang Baili...

Similarly, it is precisely because of the importance of this battle that Jiang Baili is so cautious. After all, if this expedition fails, it will not only cause difficulties for the subsequent increase in the expeditionary force, but also his own military career will be in a slump...

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From the sea cucumber to the Caucasus, it spans the vast Siberia.

Although the train that Jiang Baili and his friends took had almost never stopped along the way, by the time they arrived in the Caucasus, it was already July.

"call…"

After getting off the train, Jiang Baili, who had been on the train for too long, breathed a sigh of relief.

There were also some officers and generals who were accompanying him to act. No matter what, it was indeed not a comfortable thing to stay in a small train for such a long time.

"But I didn't expect that it was really cool here..."

"yes…"

After getting off the train, several generals talked to each other.

In July, the average temperature in the Caucasus is about 25c.

25c, this is indeed a relatively cooler temperature, but it also shows how cold this area will be in winter.

Fortunately, Yan Guang, Jiang Baili and others had already considered the temperature issue before sending troops. Therefore, the three infantry divisions that formed the Chinese Expeditionary Force this time were all troops of the Chenyang Military Region, which were extremely adaptable to the cold weather and were fully prepared for logistics.

For example, although the clothes and quilts needed in winter are still in summer, they have been transported by train. At the same time, the military boots originally worn by the Expeditionary Force were replaced with reinforced boots to adapt to the humid environment in the trench during trench wartime and avoid the trench foot of the Expeditionary Force soldiers.

In addition, Yan Guang also prepared a batch of desiccant for the Expeditionary Force. Although he didn't know how effective it was during the war, he believed that it could improve the environment in the trenches.

However, the only logistics line between the expeditionary force and the domestic connection is the Siberian Railway. Although Xinjiang has been building the Dilan Railway at all costs, it is not known how long it will take to open to traffic, let alone how long it will take to open to traffic with the Central Asia Railway, which is also expanding to Xinjiang...

"You are General Jiang, right?"

Not long after Jiang Baili and a few generals who accompanied the army got off the train, a burly Russian general with a big beard had already walked up.

There is no need for Jiang Baili to ask, an interpreter next to him has already introduced him quickly.

"General Jiang Baili, this is General Yudenridge, the highest commander of our army in the Caucasus battlefield..."

"Oh!" Hearing that the bearded Russian in front of him was Yudenridge, Jiang Baili hurriedly stepped forward and shook hands with Yudenridge. "It turned out to be General Yudenridge, I have been revered for a long time..."

"Where, I have been looking forward to your team for a long time..."

Yudenridge's attitude is very good. Unlike the Russians along the way, they either use curious eyes, contemptuous eyes, or shameful eyes. For these people, the dignified Russian Empire actually needs China's help, and there is nothing more shameful than this.

As for Yudenridge, he just said that he had been looking forward to Jiang Baili for a long time was not a lie.

Although the Caucasus battlefield is also very important, the main force of the Russian army is still deployed on the Eastern Front. As for the Balkan front, although it is important, it is only a secondary front for the current Russians.

During the German spring and summer offensive not long ago, the German army advanced all the way towards Russia, especially not long ago, when the Austrian German army had superior forces breaking through the 45-kilometer defense line of the Russian Third Corps. The south of the Russian vast Polish-Galicia protrusion began to collapse.

Especially not long ago, General M. von Galvitz led the new 12th German army to break into northern Poland and advance towards Warsaw. Warsaw was abandoned by the Russian army. The entire Russian army's front was completely collapsed. At this time, the Russian army was in danger on the Eastern Front battlefield and no longer had the ability to manage the Russian army in the Caucasus region.

Fortunately, there are not many Turkish troops and Russian troops in the Caucasus region. The former has only more than 200,000, while the latter has only more than 100,000. Now almost all the Russian troops are gathered on the Eastern Front battlefield, and the Caucasus can only place more than 100,000 people.

If this were not the case, Russia would have brought down more than one million gray animals, and Türkiye would have no way to block Dardanell.

It is also because of this that although Jiang Baili brought only three infantry divisions this time, it was already a considerable force in the Caucasus region.

"Jiang, do you want to arrange for you to have a rest first?"

Although the Russian army's situation is not very good now, Yudenridge still asked as he saw Jiang Baili's busy journey.

However, after hearing what Yudenridge said, Jiang Baili waved his hand.

"General Yudenridge, please tell me what's going on here first..."

Jiang Baili's health was indeed very uncomfortable when he took the train like this. However, this expedition to the Caucasus was of great importance to Jiang Baili, so Jiang Baili didn't care about rest. Before coming, Jiang Baili had obtained some information through the telegram on the train, but those were outdated, so Jiang Baili also needed to get some new information.

Looking at Jiang Baili's serious appearance, Yudenridge nodded.

"That's good..."

Although many generals in the entire Caucasus army looked down on these troops from China, the situation on the Eastern Front is critical and it is impossible to send reinforcements to the Caucasus. They may even transfer troops from the Caucasus to the Eastern Front. Therefore, Yudenridge also had to pay attention to Jiang Baili and other soldiers from the East.

What's more, the National Defense Forces once defeated the Japanese army in Shandong. Yudenridge served as regiment commander and brigade commander in 1902, and participated in the Russo-Japanese War that took place in the Far East, so he was very aware of the madness of the Japanese army.

Since the National Defense Force can defeat the Japanese army, Yudenridge naturally had a little expectation for Jiang Baili and others. This is also the reason why he had such a good attitude towards Jiang Baili. If it were other Russians, then with the Russians' urinary nature, he would probably be a different attitude towards Jiang Baili now...

Although Yudenridge once proposed to ask Jiang Baili and the others to take a break before talking about it, because of Jiang Baili's persistence, Yudenridge finally brought Jiang Baili and his party to the command center of the group army, and then personally explained the current situation on the Caucasus front to Jiang Baili and his party.

In early 1915, in January, the Battle of Salkamersh broke out in Turkey. At that time, Turkey had just joined the Allies and planned to launch an offensive battle against the Russian army in the Salkamersh area. Afterwards, the main force of the Russian Caucasian Army, the Salkamersh detachment crossed the border, repelled the Turkish advance team, and crushed the Turkish army's offensive plan.

At that time, the Turkish army's winter combat battlefield management was extremely poor. Before the war started, the 95,000 troops lost at least 15,000 troops due to frostbite and abandonment. On January 3, the Turkish army attempted to surround the two wings of the Russian army, but was blocked by the Russian counterattack and was defeated. The Turkish army was killed 30,000 people, and on the way to withdraw, the Turkish army froze to death. In the end, only about 18,000 effective combatants arrived in Erzurum.

In this battle, the Russian army annihilated about 90,000 Turkey at the cost of about 26,000 casualties, creating conditions for deepening the Turkish territory. Therefore, the situation was limited to Turkey until the end of the European War, when Russia collapsed due to the October Revolution, Turkey took the opportunity to take over the Caucasus region...

It should be noted that after the end of this battle, Vorontov, who had been replaced by Yudenri, became the commander of the Caucasian Army.

In April, the Turkish army suspected that the Armenians helped the Russian army and launched a massacre. This move led to the Armenian riots. The rioters controlled Fancheng on April 20 and remained firm until May 19th.

About a week ago, the new Turkish commander Abdulakrim led his army to attack and defeat a Russian army near the city of Fan in the Armenian region. Then, the Turkish army moved east cautiously. Yudenic sent 22,000 men, mainly Cossacks, to attack the Turkish left wing, causing Krim to retreat after suffering heavy losses.

Although the Turkish army retreated because of Yudenridge's attack, according to Russian intelligence, the commander of the Turkish army, Krim, is now reorganizing his team and preparing to retake Fancheng.

This is why Yudenridge welcomed Jiang Baili so much, because if it weren't for Jiang Baili, Yudenridge would have given up Fancheng for a while after he was holding onto Fancheng.

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Because of Yudenridge's detailed explanation, Jiang Baili also understood the current situation on the Caucasus front.

In general, it is neither good nor bad. Although Turkey has more troops than the Russian army, because the quality difference is too large, the Russian army is not afraid of the Turks.

Especially because of the victory of the Battle of Salkamesh, the situation has been maintained within the Turkish army, so there is no need to worry about the spread of the war into Russia.

It is just because Russia's environment on the Eastern Front is quite poor and its support for the Caucasus front has also declined a lot, so Yudenridge is now quite welcome to Chiang Baili and his party. After all, Chiang Baili brought nearly 40,000 people this time, which is also a new force for Yudenridge.

Moreover, according to the agreement between China and the Allies, China will send at least 300,000 troops to the Caucasus Front in the future, completely replacing Russia's role in the Caucasus Front.

Therefore, Yudenridge is the only one curious about now, that is, the quality of this Chinese expeditionary force and whether it can bear the heavy responsibility of the Caucasus front...

"Okay, since the explanation has been completed, then you generals, either have to go for a rest first? Let's talk about the subsequent series of work when you have almost finished resting."

"Okay." Jiang Baili and several other generals looked at each other, nodded at Yudenridge and said, "Then let's talk about everything tomorrow..."

The residence had been arranged long ago. In fact, before Jiang Baili and his party arrived, Yudenridge had already built a relatively simple Chinese Expeditionary Army camp near the Caucasus Army headquarters.

The Chinese Expeditionary Force, currently arriving in the Caucasus, and the subsequent Chinese Expeditionary Force, will be stationed here.

"What's the result of your observation?"

After Cai E and his party left and went to the accommodation prepared for them to rest and relieve the fatigue of the journey, Yudenridge asked to two Russian officers who had just walked in.

"Good, good. At present, the quality of the Chinese Expeditionary Force this time is good. The soldiers are very nutritious and have strong bodies. Especially in terms of equipment, they are very well-equipped. I'm afraid they are much better than our most sophisticated infantry divisions, but..."

"But what?"

"However, although the weapons used by the Chinese team are very good, they use a variety of weapons. For example, the rifle is made of German, the pistol is made of American, and the Maxim machine gun is actually 12.7mm caliber, which is completely different from the Maxim machine gun we use. The artillery used by the Chinese are also all German artillery. Our plan to share ammunition with these Chinese may not work..."

"So..." Although Yudenridge had no expectations for this plan, he sighed after hearing what his subordinates said.

At present, the Russian army has suffered huge losses on the Eastern Front battlefield. Although Russia's industrial strength is not weak, due to the losses and the huge number of Russian troops, there are still great problems in weapons and ammunition.

Therefore, Yudenridge put his ideas on the Chinese Expeditionary Force.

Unfortunately, there are all kinds of weapons equipped by the Expeditionary Force, including German, American, and British, but there are only Russian. This is also one of the reasons why Yan Guang was relieved to let Jiang Baili and the others come to Russia. Because the weapons and ammunition used by the Expeditionary Force are different from those used by the Russian army, Yan Guang does not need to worry about the problem of robbing weapons and ammunition in the Caucasus region...

"Fortunately, as you said, the quality of these Chinese people is pretty good. I hope these Chinese people can play more roles in the battlefield."

As he said that, Yudenridge looked at his two subordinates.

"I just got some information from the capital. His Majesty the Tsar seemed to want to draw some troops from us to the battlefield on the Eastern Front..."
To be continued...