Although we have captured Samantha, there are still many areas within the city that need to be cleared.
After another half day, the entire city of Saman was completely pacified.
In a continuous day and night of fighting, the western expeditionary army, relying on powerful artillery bombardment, razed more than half of the entire city of Saman to the ground.
The city of Samantha today has lost all its former grandeur.
From the outside, it looked dilapidated and in a mess.
The only thing worth noting was the large banner fluttering in the wind above Samantha!
After Zhao Chun's troops captured Saman City, the telegraph staff had already laid telegraph lines outside the city.
Inside the command post outside the city, Zhao Chun instructed the telegraph operator to immediately report the news to the Western Expedition Command and the Privy Council in the capital.
A great victory in the western expedition!
Such good news should naturally spread throughout the country!
After reporting the news, Han Dong's Western Regions reclamation army and a militia also arrived in Saman City and began reclamation and grazing in the surrounding area.
To completely bring the entire Samanid Khanate under the rule of the Great Khanate, immigration and land reclamation were essential!
The Western Regions Reclamation Army was naturally the main force among them!
Meanwhile, the rest of the western expeditionary force also cleared out the remaining towns of the Samanid Khanate around the Great Sand Sea.
In late June, the 39th Infantry Division, the 40th Infantry Division, and the 12th Cavalry Division successively captured Yanqi, Quli, Kucha and other places.
In July, after the main force of Zhao Chun's western expeditionary army captured Saman, the 39th Infantry Division, the 40th Infantry Division, and the 12th Cavalry Division split into three routes and continued to march westward.
At the same time, news of the death of Saman Khan Kuli Saman spread throughout the cities surrounding the Great Sand Sea.
The towns located on both sides of the Great Sand Sea and Tulunqi were also somewhat fearful and uneasy.
In early July, the 39th and 40th Infantry Divisions arrived at the outskirts of Wensu and Gumo.
After half a day of fighting, Wensu and Gumo fell one after another!
Meanwhile, the 37th and 38th Infantry Divisions, located in the area of Saman City, also crossed the Khan Mountain Trail and entered the area of the Great Sand Sea south of the mountains.
In mid-July, the 39th and 40th Infantry Divisions joined forces with the 37th and 38th Infantry Divisions outside Shule City.
After less than a day of fighting, the important southern city of Shule of the Samanid Khanate fell, and all the important towns and cities in the entire Samanid Khanate fell into the hands of the Western Expeditionary Army of the Great Khanate.
The 37th Infantry Division was responsible for guarding Shule City, while the 38th, 39th, and 40th Infantry Divisions and the 12th Cavalry Division continued south.
The army advanced, and Yecheng, Yutiancheng, and Qiemocheng were successively recovered.
The army was stationed in Khotan, and using the cattle, sheep and horses captured from the Samans, they began to make dried meat.
The battles in other locations were also drawing to a close.
In Samantha, Li Maoxue's 11th Infantry Division and 13th Infantry Division continued their westward advance.
In mid-to-late July, they successively captured Kunling, Suyab, Kangju and other places in the western part of the Samanid Khanate.
By the end of July, the entire territory of the Samanid Khanate had been completely occupied by the Da Gan army.
The entire western expeditionary force has successfully completed its combat mission!
Inside the city of Samantha.
After more than a month of repairs, with the assistance of the Saman prisoners, all the dilapidated buildings in the city were cleared out.
Even some civilian houses, palaces, inner city walls, and outer city walls were all demolished.
During this period, the craftsmen of the Western Regions Reclamation Army and the militia also built more than ten cement kilns and brick kilns in the mountainous area north of Saman City and began to fire cement and bricks.
The cement produced was transported to Samantha to begin the reconstruction of the city.
Saman City, as an important town in the Western Regions and the capital of the Saman Khanate, has a history of hundreds or even thousands of years, precisely because of its extremely advantageous geographical location.
The city of Saman is nestled in a valley, through which a river meanders westward. The valley is lush with vegetation and has a pleasant climate, making it a veritable paradise beyond the Great Wall!
Such favorable conditions are certainly not to be missed.
Under the command of the Western Regions Reclamation Army and militia, and with the help of the Saman prisoners of war, the entire city of Saman had undergone a dramatic transformation in just one month.
The area where the royal palace was originally located was completely demolished.
Gold and silver jewelry were also confiscated and sent to the capital as spoils of war.
In the area where the royal palace is located, construction began on a six-story reinforced concrete building.
This building was the location of the military and political organs of the entire Western Regions, responsible for governing the military and political affairs of the Western Regions.
Telegraph lines will also be extended to this high-rise building.
However, a six-story building naturally needs time to complete.
During this period, the Western Expedition Front Command remained stationed in tents outside the city.
In early August, a telegram arrived from the capital.
"Old Zhao, Old Zhao..."
Chief of Staff Lin Shaozhang strode in with a telegram in hand and said, "His Majesty has commended our Northwest Military Region!"
"Yeah?"
Zhao Chun also became interested and hurriedly asked, "What did His Majesty say?"
"His Majesty said that our western expeditionary army has achieved remarkable military exploits, pacifying the entire Western Regions in a short period of time, and its contributions are indispensable!"
Lin Shaozhang said with a smile, "His Majesty also said that, according to previous practice, newly conquered towns of foreign tribes can be named after the generals who fought in them. His Majesty is asking us what you think about renaming Saman City as General Zhao Chun City?"
"General Zhao Chun's city?"
Zhao Chun paused for a moment, scratched his head, and shook his head, saying, "Isn't this too flashy?"
"No, not really."
Lin Shaozhang replied with a smile, "Back when the Northern Military Region was campaigning in the grasslands, it also established new cities like Yunyan City and Lanhe City. Now, this Saman City should also be renamed in the same way; it's an honor for our Northwest Military Region!"
"Yes, Saman City was captured by our Northwest Military Region, not by me, Zhao Chun, alone. I agree with the name change. However, renaming it General Zhao Chun City feels too awkward!"
Zhao Chun waved his hand and said, "Let's talk to His Majesty and ask for a different one."
"What should we change it to?"
Lin Shaozhang asked.
"The Northwest Military Region is called Northwest City?"
Zhao Chun spoke up.
"This is inappropriate, it's pointless!"
Lin Shaozhang waved his hand and said, "How about this, let's take the 'Xi' from the Northwest Military Region and the 'Chun' from your name, Lao Zhao, and call it Xichun City! What do you think?"
"Firstly, the Northwest Military Region deserves credit for this; secondly, your contributions, Old Zhao, haven't been forgotten; and thirdly, the name Xichun City won't sound so incongruous!"
Hearing Lin Shaozhang's words, Zhao Chun nodded and said, "Then let's do it this way. Let's call it Xichun City and try to persuade His Majesty to agree."
Immediately, the Northwest Military Region telegraph personnel sent a reply to Beijing, explaining the progress of their work over the past period.
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