Chapter 833: Spring of Military Officers (Third update, please subscribe)

While the British were enjoying the bright sunshine of late spring and the beauty of life, thousands of kilometers away in Eastern Europe, a war of unprecedented scale was taking place.

On April 24, after Russia declared war on Turkey, Romania, a "country" that nominally still belonged to Turkey, immediately agreed to allow the Russian army to pass through to attack Turkey. In retaliation, the Turks immediately bombarded Romanian towns, and in response, Romania took the opportunity to declare complete independence. Since the defeat in Crimea, the Russian army, which has undergone years of reform and strengthening, has been advancing like a polar bear. Although Turkey's new army has a large number of advanced imported guns and artillery, the Russian army, which is far behind in morale and organization, has been defeated under the Russian army's fierce attack.

The Bulgarian volunteers also joined the Russian army. By May, one-third of the Russian army were Bulgarians.

Finally, the Russian army, which had been advancing triumphantly all the way, arrived at the Shipka Pass, an extremely important pass, crucial to the capture and control of Bulgaria. An advance team of more than 10,000 people led by Joseph Vladimirevich Gurko arrived here, but he was asked to meet with Prince Nikolai Mirsky's troops before launching an attack.

"That's not necessary, General."

Li Bin, a member of the military observation group, said directly.

"The purpose of war is to win. While you are waiting here to join other troops, the enemy's strength is also increasing. Now, what is the most important thing? It is to take advantage of the fact that the Turks are short of manpower and directly crush their resistance!"

"Captain, do you mean I should attack now?"

General Joseph Vladimirvich Gurko looked at the Ming officer and asked.

"General, at least you can try. Your troops have 24 powerful 150mm mortars, and the Turkish fortifications are extremely simple. You can completely destroy their resistance by bombarding them! Seize their positions before their reinforcements arrive!"

Picking up the Phoenix binoculars and observing the Turkish defense line, General Gurko thought for a moment and then gave the order.

"Then let's do it!"

With an order, the Russian artillery roared, and in a short period of time, hundreds of shells weighing 33 kilograms fell on the Turkish positions. The violent explosion directly destroyed the Turks' pitifully few simple fortifications. The flying rubble turned into sharp blades, tearing the bodies of Turkish soldiers into pieces.

At the same time as the fierce artillery bombardment, Russian soldiers and Bulgarians armed with Type 72 rifles began to attack. Their attack was very brave. Even in Li Bin's opinion, they launched the attack almost desperately, and then fought with the Turks with bayonets and bullets.

Under heavy artillery fire, the smaller Turkish defenders withstood the first two attacks, but realizing they could not hold on, they pretended to surrender on June 9 and then took the opportunity to break out. In just two weeks, Gurko captured three important mountain passes on his own.

It was not until this time that Prince Nikolai Mirsky's troops finally arrived at the mountain pass. After congratulating General Gurko, Prince Nikolai expressed his intention to lead the troops to continue advancing.

"Captain, for safety reasons, I hope you can stay here!"

Prince Nicholas said, pointing to the mountain pass behind.

"This mountain pass is very important, but I don't have any extra troops to guard it. There are only some Bulgarians with weak combat effectiveness and a small number of Russian troops. I hope to assist Colonel Valensky in guarding it!"

"Of course, Your Highness, if that is what you need!"

Li Bin did not refuse the prince's request. He was just a member of the military visiting group. Being able to go directly to the front line and even participate in the war was already a consideration from the other party.

However, just ten days later, a more powerful Turkish force, Suleiman Pasha, led an army of 38,000 people to the Shipka Pass. At that time, there were only 5,000 Bulgarian volunteers and 2,500 Russian troops at the Shipka Pass. On July 2, the Turkish army began to bombard the coalition positions and dig trenches, and then launched a charge. The Bulgarian volunteers who were previously believed to be fighting bravely repelled their attacks several times.

Over the next three days and three nights, the Turkish army left thousands of bodies below the Shipka Pass, but the defenses of the Shipka Pass remained unshakable.

Early in the morning, overwhelming artillery fire hit the Russian positions again. The Russian positions at Shipka Pass were carefully designed by Li Bin, a captain of the Ming Empire Army. Under his guidance, in addition to reinforcing the original fortifications, two trenches were dug, deer forts were built outside the trenches, and crisscrossing communication trenches were dug between the trenches. Artillery and machine gun positions were more carefully arranged, and a tight crossfire network was formed with 26 cannons, 37 small mortars and 16 Gatling machine guns. In order to protect the machine guns, he also introduced the Ming Dynasty's unique stone fortress, which was built with logs and stone fortresses. The top of the fortress could withstand a direct hit from an 80mm mortar. It was with those inconspicuous stone fortresses that they resisted the Turkish artillery fire and repelled the Turkish army's three-day tide-like wave of attacks, killing and wounding no less than 3,000 enemy troops, while their own casualties in the fierce battle were only a few hundred.

On that day, Turkey deployed hundreds of cannons opposite the Shipka Pass, firing, firing, and firing again at all costs. The shells swept across the Russian positions like a torrential rain. The artillery was commanded by a converted Prussian officer. Under his command, the Turkish artillery fire became more and more accurate.

I saw Russian artillery positions, machine gun firing points, bunkers, and infantry bunkers being hit by shells one after another. For a moment, the mountains were full of flying dirt and rocks, blood and flesh flying everywhere. Wherever the artillery fire passed, the mountains were shaking and boiling...

After the command post was hit, Valensky was dug out of the collapsed bunker by his subordinates. Although his face was covered in blood, most of the injuries were superficial. As soon as he came out, he asked.

"Reinforcements...haven't the reinforcements arrived yet?"

The subordinate answered in the negative.

"It doesn't matter if you haven't arrived yet..."

Walensky said, looking at the officers around him.

"As long as we hold this place, even if we all die here, our souls will see the cross erected again in Constantinople. That is God's miracle. God will remember our merits. Gentlemen, let us defend God's will with our lives and blood." Valensky looked at Li Bin and said as he stood up with a smile and received the bandage.

"Captain, you should leave here now. After all, this is not your war."

They were just foreign observers accompanying the army. So what if they were allies? This war was not a war of the Ming Empire, but a war of the Russian Empire.

There was no need for them to sacrifice their lives in this place.

"Colonel, if I leave now, I will live in shame for the rest of my life!"

Facing the colonel's persuasion, Li Bin said seriously.

"I will fight with you until the end. After all, we are close allies!"

(End of this chapter)