Chapter 1719: Thirteen. Icewind Forest (11)

In the Eastern battlefield, the season suitable for fighting is actually not much time. In the spring and autumn, due to melting snow and rain, there is enough to touch the quagmire on the top of the carriage. The extreme cold in winter makes the movement of troops limited. What is really suitable for marching combat is a short period of time between summer and after frost and before the real severe cold falls.
The Principality limits the period of war against Lapland to half a month after the frost. Obviously, it is expected to have a quick battle and a quick decision. After quickly occupying the target area, the severe cold is used to hinder the Lapland counterattack and other countries' intervention. Use fait accompli to gain an advantage for subsequent negotiations.
Although the decision is based on political calculations and objective conditions, it is indeed reasonable from a military perspective.
After entering the severe winter, the temperature will drop to minus thirty or forty degrees, plus the impact of snowfall and polar night, supply and troop movement will become very difficult. Forcing an attack in this environment is a nightmare for soldiers and logistics systems. Therefore, it is a reasonable choice to seize the facilities of the Lapland defenders and build a defensive position.
Based on the above political and military rationality, it is not difficult to understand why the Congress elected the date of the war at the end of the frost moon, and it is not difficult to understand why after the "Mainila Incident", the Congress took an unusually tough stance and not only refused to pull Puland’s request for negotiations and the proposal to seek an international community to form a multi-disciplinary investigation committee to conduct relevant forensic investigations to look squarely, and also to create public opinion, called on the soldiers of the Principality to cut off "bad neighbors who have been in trouble for hundreds of years" once and for all The coming war is in line with the international trend of pursuing peace, prosperity and co-prosperity.
At 6 a.m. on the morning of Frost Moon, without any formal declaration of war, the United Principality of Ross announced that "the Lapland army invaded and provoked again, and the Principality army was forced to launch a counterattack in self-defense." Before this half an hour, the Principality's army had launched artillery shells at the frontier post of the border Lapland army. Five minutes before the Principality diplomatic system announced the start of the war, the first Principality troops crossed the border. Twenty minutes later, the Floating Fleet of the Principality Army bombarded and shelled multiple targets including Helsingfors. At this point, the United Principality of Ross and the Kingdom of Lapland officially entered a state of war.
At the beginning of the war, the vast majority of people, including the people of the Principality, believed that the war would last for up to two weeks and would end with the flag of the Principality flying high in the Vyborg city. But soon, observers will be shocked. The whole world will look at the posture of the Lapland soldiers bravely fighting the Principality's army with awe and admiration, and the imperial military advisers will take the war from "craftsmanship" and "experts." "The knowledge" sublimates to the superb wrist of "art". The whole world will be shocked by this, and the series of consequences it caused are far more than the most radical predictions.
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"Misha, where are you going?! Ivan, don't stand silly. Hurry up and distribute the supplies! My goddess! What have you done! That's the concentrate for feeding animals, not the fighting ration! You I really think that the front lines are all animals? Believe it or not, before the masters of the front line slaughtered me, I will first slaughter your group of rough embryos!"
Lieutenant Kolesnikov yelled around in his throat, his face with three scars twisted, and his right foot made of wood stomped a dull sound on the solid frozen ground. Under the urge of foul language, threats and slaps, the small logistic station was operating in a chaotic but restrained state. All this is due to Lieutenant Kolesnikov, who came from cavalry. The former cavalry lieutenant retired from the front line for a physical reason and was transferred to the logistics department after being promoted one level. Many people think that the lieutenant will die in this situation and work in this pension department until he retires. No one thought he would catch up with the new war and regain his youth.
The lieutenant is not unclear about the comments of others, but whenever someone expresses the idea of ​​being happy and envious of his "rejuvenation", the lieutenant can only give him a bitter smile and shrug, and at the same time give him a spit in his heart.
Is those stupid people too busy, or hasn’t they figured out the situation at all? This is fighting, not playing a house!
Lieutenant Kolesnikov was well aware of the importance of his supply point and the materials waiting to be unloaded and distributed. It is no exaggeration to say that the frontline offensive suffered setbacks, at most it was the withdrawal of troops to rest. If the supplies are in chaos, the soldiers on the front line can only starve or hold bullet-free rifles and use bayonets and flesh to attack the enemy's defenses. At that time, all the casualties and lost pots will fall on the head of the logistics department, and then go through layers of transfer, and finally fall on the head of a grassroots officer like him. In the face of the cauldron of "dereliction of duty, incompetence, defeat of the culprit" and so on, how can a little lieutenant excuse him? Who else can he push to?
For the sake of war, for the motherland, for the same robe, for the honor, and to improve yourself, the lieutenant must work hard to reduce even a little risk...
Regardless of the purpose, Lieutenant Kolesnikov and his men did indeed do their best. But this does not change the fact that the logistics system under their jurisdiction is in chaos, nor can it change the overall crisis of the Principality’s logistics system as the offensive unfolds. In fact, the lieutenant should be proud of his and his subordinates' outstanding performance. They are already considered to be the most outstanding group in the Principality's military logistics system.
The original combat plan of the Principality Army was to realize the outsourcing of the Lapland army stationed in the defensive position during the border battle. By eliminating the main force of the army, the position broke through, smashed the enemy’s continuation ability, and won the superior negotiation status. aims. However, when the war started and the battle plan was actually executed, a series of problems that had been neglected before began to emerge, which seriously affected the realization of the battle plan.
The first problem exposed was insufficient intelligence. The Principality is well aware that Lapland has a fortified defense system in the Karelia isthmus, but their intelligence is mostly two years ago, and it is unclear about the deployment of the main defense zone’s force and fortification system, especially since the beginning of last year. The fortifications and firepower points that were built were either incorrectly marked or not drawn on the relevant defense maps issued by the Principality Intelligence Department on the eve of the war.
The second problem is even more fatal, that is, the Principality seriously underestimated Lapland’s resistance determination and preparations.
Needless to say, the determination to resist, the children of Lapland are aware of the atrocities of the Duchy. The whole country knew very well what terrible things would happen after the invasion of the Principality Army. The Lapland people's strong will and solidarity that broke out in the face of the principality's unreasonable factions and imposed wars are unimaginable.
With the determination and the will to implement the determination, the next step is to implement the will to the practical level.
Long before the joint meeting was held, the Lapland military has been committed to modifying the northern border defense operations. Two months before the war, it secretly mobilized in the name of the special autumn exercises. At that time, diplomatic negotiations between the two countries were still in progress. In order to avoid stimulating the Principality to wage war on the Principality during the sensitive period, neither the Lapland officials nor the military used the military term "mobilization" (national mobilization means declaring war). In the name of the exercise, various reserve forces moved covertly to the Karelia isthmus. During the last two months before the outbreak of the war, the defenders of the Karelia isthmus continued to conduct battalion company platoon combat training, live ammunition shooting and emergency Tactical training courses to reinforce existing fortifications and repair firepower points and fortifications. Among them, the intensity of the regional defense counterattack exercise aimed at the main direction of the Principality Army has been greatly enhanced. By the time the war broke out on the 30th frost moon, these soldiers were already familiar with the surrounding grass and trees like their back garden. These meticulous and meticulous preparations immediately brought great trouble and loss to the Principality's army, which was undermined by the enemy, immediately after the outbreak of the war.
The third problem is a complete disaster, that is, the Principality Army’s preparations for the war are not as complete as they thought. Whether it is personnel training, officer literacy, tactical tactics, or intelligence work, the Principality Army has a large number of problems. From a professional point of view, this is a war that hastily launched for political purposes.
Hurry and chaos can be seen everywhere. Almost every unit has encountered different degrees of trouble after the march, such as inaccurate maps, outdated information, destruction of roads by the Lapland army when it retreats, and the laying of mines. But the biggest and most serious problem comes from the logistics system.
Primitive, chaotic, bureaucratic, dereliction of duty, incompetence, totally unqualified-this is the most accurate description of the logistical system of the Principality Army~EbookFREE.me~ The concept of "logistics" did not exist in the history of the Principality What needs to be solved can be solved by robbing, why waste time and logistics. With the advancement of technology and the expansion of the military establishment, the Principality Army also did not face the importance and necessity of logistics. It gradually established its own logistics system, adding one to the collection, scheduling, storage, and distribution of materials, and at the same time incorporating convenient logistics management into the requirements of weapon design. It can be said that the importance of the logistics system has received unprecedented attention.
However, it is not enough to pay attention and make great efforts to rectify the construction. Logistics emphasizes rationality and scientificity more than war itself, and its precision is far more complicated than most war machines. The Principality has built a logistics system and is also aware of the importance of logistics support. However, it does not fully understand the operating mode and rationalize the problems in the system, and optimize the system before putting it into the battlefield. Before the war, the relevant officials of the logistics department expressed their worries, but the logistics department was originally a newly-established fourth-class organization. When meeting other departments, it was short, and it lacked the courage to question before the political decision of the highest decision-making level. As a result, all reasonable questions were automatically silenced after being accused of "cowardice," "incompetence," "lack of patriotism," and "no perseverance." The Logistics Department honestly put into work.
If the Principality Army entered the war in a state of incomplete preparation but full of confidence, then the Principality Army's logistics system was not only insufficiently prepared, but even the "confidence to win" was very lacking. From this subtle difference, people may be able to glimpse some war prospects and subsequent development. But for the frontline officers and soldiers of the Principality Army, this is a complete chaos, and it will soon evolve into an outright disaster.