Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 195



Only Noblemtl

#195. Modern Warfare (1)

“The 12th Division has landed in its entirety···.”

“Isn’t something strange? In such a situation, the Japanese troops who were facing off on the Gyeongin Highway are not showing any activity. There is no way that the enemy, who has clearly gained the upper hand in terms of military power, would suddenly stop their offensive on the Gyeongin Highway.”

“That’s the problem, Colonel. They might try to breach the Gyeongin Highway.”

Cavalry Regiment Commander Kim Seok-joong looked down at the map showing the Gyeongin Expressway with a suspicious look.

He saw that the Japanese military was hiding some intention, and so did I.

This was because the Japanese army was not one to retreat even though they suffered heavy losses in the battle that took place in the afternoon and night of the 15th.

“Of course, it is true that their war plans were ruined···.”

“That’s why they won’t stop their attacks. It seems like the enemy is quite clever.”

I flicked my finger at the area around Juansan where the 3rd Brigade of our forces was stationed.

According to reports, the unit that suffered damage yesterday was not the 23rd Brigade under the 12th Division, also known as the Kikoshi Unit.

Considering that two battalions of the Korean garrison under the command of Lieutenant General Hasegawa had suffered severe damage and were disengaged from the battle line, they were absolutely not going to stop.

It was easy to understand if you thought about how the Chinese regiments attacked during the Korean War.

Perhaps today, the 23rd Brigade would receive reinforcements from the 12th Division headquarters, reorganize its ranks, and launch a storm-like offensive.

It could be tonight, or tomorrow morning or around daybreak.

“But my eyes can’t be fooled. There’s a very high possibility that these guys will launch a large-scale attack on our lines tonight or tomorrow morning.”

I spoke while sitting at the table.

It was possible to say that the attack would be directed at the weakest part.

So now it was time to discuss where the attacks would be focused.

And the very first words of that story, surprisingly, came from the mouth of the cavalry adviser Harcourt.

“Hey, General. What’s that place written here?”

Suddenly Harcourt spoke to me.

Our language is still awkward, but we speak it well. This is a bit complicated, so we spoke in English, which is more comfortable for us.

“Juan Mountain?”

“Ah, yes, Mt. Juan. It looks like two battalions are blocking Mt. Juan. Is there any space to break through? It seems impossible to do so without breaking through this mountain, whether it’s a night attack or a frontal attack during the day.”

Harcourt crossed his arms and looked puzzled.

The two battalions in front were holding firm, and the third battalion was positioned between Bugaesan and Juansan as a brigade reserve, so it seemed that they judged that they would be able to hold out for quite a while even if the Japanese army attacked.

“What do you think of the advisor?”

“Perhaps rather than a flank attack, why isn’t the 3rd Brigade a newly established unit? There’s one mistake that these rookie units make the most. It’s not properly establishing the battle zone between units. Our United States Army has made that mistake several times, and your units, which lack combat experience and training, will have that problem even more.”

“Hmm, it’s a border line.”

“Look, the 1st and 2nd Battalions are defending Juansan, but the gaps between the battalions are probably not properly maintained. A well-trained unit would prevent guerrilla attacks between the battalions and form a fire net to block enemy infiltration, but can we expect that from them? In the end, the enemy will not try to bypass them, but rather attack through the gaps between the perimeter lines. The enemy can easily anticipate such mistakes.”

Harcourt’s point was valid at first glance. If the enemy had obtained information such as the friendly forces’ short-range missiles, it would have been a very conceivable attack method.

Even in modern warfare, such offensives targeting the border between each unit have been carried out frequently, and if they work properly, the premise of ‘moving and dividing the enemy’ is accepted.

“That makes sense.”

I nodded in agreement with his words. In fact, considering the number of reserves of the 3rd Brigade, which was insufficient, and the efficiency of the terrain, the current deployment was not bad, but… the Japanese army’s infantry mobility was superior to my expectations.

Within our military, the only units that were mobile enough to respond to their maneuverability in a timely manner were the assault infantry units and some central army units.

“Their mobility far exceeds our imagination. The area between Juansan and Bugaesan is filled with reserves, but Mansusan on the left wing of the front is empty. They will actively move to divide and annihilate our forces…”

Mansusan Mountain on the left wing of the front line looked empty, and this was the perfect place for the Japanese army to invade.

And if it wasn’t the second-class troops, but their elite standing divisions that had stepped in, the story would have been very different.

However, there was still too little evidence to say for sure.

“There is a high possibility that the enemy still does not know what kind of unit the 3rd Brigade is.”

“Why?”

“It wasn’t the 23rd Brigade, but the Parking Corps that made contact with our troops first. They rushed to Hanseongbu and attacked recklessly, and they were also attacked at night, so they must be overestimating our troops’ strength.”

The fog of battle will be thick before their eyes. Of course, they must know that the 3rd Brigade is defending the Gyeongin Road, but they have no idea what units are behind them.

In particular, it could be concluded that the assault infantry regiment, the guard division, or the cavalry regiment, whose existence the Imperial General Headquarters would obviously know about, would be following the 3rd Brigade and attempting to draw in and annihilate the Japanese army.

For the enemy, it was safest and most certain to choose a tactic that could instantly destroy the friendly forces rather than a frontal assault.

For the Japanese military, which had many good commanders, it would be stranger not to take that approach.

I said, gripping the handle of the sword on my waist tightly.

“They probably think we’ll be there. So they’ll try to attack the flanks and destroy them even more. Maybe they’ll do both. They’ll try to break through the flanks and the frontal boundary line that the advisor mentioned. However, the core of all these attacks will start with flank attacks. So we should tell the 3rd Brigade to prepare for the most dangerous area, Mansusan.”

“Fighting a cunning enemy is always… dog-like.”

“That’s why there are staffs, and why commanders make decisions. Advisor Harcourt, I have placed people like you in our military to combat such cunning foes.”

I motioned for the officer next to me to bring the receiver and answered Harcourt.

“And I will fight more cunningly than the enemy, using all means and methods. If possible, I will make sure that the 3rd Brigade holds out until we retreat to Pyongyang. They will be able to make time for us.”

“Yeah, I hope so.”

Harcourt looked at me with a confident expression and answered.

“I hope the cavalry regiment doesn’t get deployed too soon.”

“I will prepare a separate banquet for all of us, so don’t rush. There is a battlefield that is much more important than theirs, and also the most dangerous. First, we must make the sacrifices they have chosen even more valuable… Ah, are you connected? 3rd Brigade Commander, listen carefully to what I say from now on.”

I heard the voice of the 3rd Brigade Commander, Lieutenant General Min Yeong-gi, on the other end of the phone, and began to hand over the information I had that they needed.

Maybe it was the last help I could give them before leaving Hanseong.

***

“What are you saying?”

“Huh, that young man is all about show.”

Min Yeong-gi said as he hung up the phone. He never had any particularly good feelings toward Chief Kim Si-hyeok. This young but ambitious man had expanded his faction within central politics and the military, and had eventually staged two coups.

Of course, he himself acknowledged that this was an unprecedented situation in which he and the military had no choice but to step forward, but he was strongly dissatisfied with the act of enforcing their will by sending armed forces forward under the pretext of serving the monarch.

If their coup was justified immediately, it was obvious that countless others with similar ambitions or evil intentions would stage second and third coups through self-justification.

Even you yourself won’t know how far that violence will go.

So, while General Min Yeong-gi disliked the emperor who acted as he pleased, he also kept his distance from those who controlled the military.

“But I have to admit that he has his own unique perspective on war.”

He thought that Chief Kim Si-hyeok’s true intentions and his superficial desire for power were nothing more than self-deception, but he was able to readily admit this one thing.

He had a natural talent for deploying his troops, introducing tactics/strategies, and assigning promising officers and commanders to the right positions.

“Are there any units available for immediate mobilization?”

“This is the search party.”

“Take out one platoon and deploy it towards Mansusan during the nightfall. The enemy may come from the flank, so it would be good to be prepared.”

“But it might be difficult for the enemy to bypass you. The 2nd Battalion is in a controllable area, and if that happens, they will be exposed to fire.”

“My grandson said, ‘Surprise and correct strategy always work together.’ Since the enemy was defeated yesterday, it is obvious that they will try to find our weakness this time. It is not bad to be prepared.”

After finishing his speech, Min Yeong-gi picked up the receiver. He ordered the call to be connected to the 2nd Battalion Commander, and as the telegraph office staff moved around to connect, a voice was heard on the other end.

“Ah, 2nd Battalion Commander? It’s me, Brigade Commander. Oh, right. As of now, the enemy isn’t making any moves, is it? I received a warning from my superiors that the enemy may become active again after dawn today. So, I’m sending the 3rd Platoon of the Search Company to Mansusan via the rear of the 2nd Battalion, so keep that in mind. Okay, I understand. Keep up the good work.”

Even after hanging up the phone, Min Yeong-gi thought deeply about what Manager Kim Si-hyeok had said.

The landing of the 12th Division’s main force, the Japanese army’s standoff while deliberately breaking contact, and the lack of reserves. All of this pointed clearly to one thing.

“Tell the 3rd Battalion to standby troops in case of emergency.”

“What about the 4th Battalion in Bupyeong?”

“Hold your ground. If the entire 12th Division main force lands, there is a high possibility that they will attack Bu-pyeong. Also, assign one available platoon to the search company to continuously check the status of contact, and have the observation team report every 15 minutes instead of every 30 minutes. We need more information.”

“All right.”

We had to reduce uncertainty as much as possible.

Even if Min Young-gi couldn’t see the enemy’s overall appearance, he needed something that was at least certain about where the enemy was looking.

And through that, we can teach those Japanese a lesson they will never forget.