Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 204



Only Noblemtl

#204. In the Curtain of Night (4)

To be honest, the 3rd Brigade’s resistance itself was… different from the general atmosphere that acknowledged that they fought against the enemy without admitting defeat and that they had greatly demonstrated the spirit of the Korean Empire Army, but my personal assessment was quite different.

The 3rd Contingent’s battle was brilliant on a political level.

This is because it was an ‘incident’ that could not only create quite good topics of conversation both internally and externally, but also clearly specify the point of ‘who is the enemy?’

Above all, it may be possible to at least gain immunity from future criticism for not surrendering Hanseong without fighting a single battle.

But I was not a politician or a bureaucrat who conducted diplomacy. The position to promote the 3rd Brigade in the political dimension mentioned above was only for the cabinet ministers and the Privy Council, but I was only in the position of a commander who had to carry out the war.

From that standpoint, the sacrifice of the 3rd Brigade… could not be viewed highly.

If the 12th Division had deployed just a little faster, and if the Kikoshi area had boldly attempted a final offensive quickly, the 3rd Brigade could have easily been surrounded and destroyed, or all of its significant combat forces could have been destroyed before it could even begin its guerrilla warfare, which would have been a dizzying incident that would have ruined the guerrilla warfare capabilities of the entire Gyeongin region.

“Still, it’s really great that they forced such huge casualties on the 23rd Brigade and the Parking Corps···.”

“yes?”

“It’s nothing.”

Shin Pal-gyun looked at me with a puzzled expression, but I pretended not to notice and continued to march.

The enemies who had taken control of Hanseongbu would now concentrate all their supplies and capabilities in the Gyeongin area and then turn their attention to Uiju and Manchuria beyond.

“When will the enemies advance north?”

“If you think about the fact that the Japanese army prepared for over a month in the year of Gap-o, it would take about that long. This time, it seems a little different.”

Well, overall, Japan’s war plans were not much different from those of the time it fought the Qing. There were differences in the details, though.

“Will we really advance in the same way as in the year of Gap-o?”

“God, human beings tend to rely more on past success than you might think. They had great success like that 10 years ago, so they will think the same way this time.”

Human beings have always had a habit of repeating past successes. Of course, there are many cases where failures are also repeated, but generally speaking, that is how it has been.

The Japanese military will be no different.

It is certainly true that it is a strong army comprised of great commanders and enthusiastic soldiers.

When initial plans go awry, what they can choose to do is to learn from past successes.

“That’s why I’m building a defensive line in the northwest and actively trying to stop the enemy. I have no intention of defeating the enemy in the northwest.”

“Huh? Then you strike me. You have no intention of defeating your enemies.”

“We have to be of similar strength to those Japanese to win or lose.”

Who said that the game isn’t about winning, it’s about pissing your opponent off.

In any case, there was no way for us to drive them into a total defeat through a direct confrontation. The outcome was ultimately in the hands of the Baltic Fleet, not the Korean Peninsula. Well, if we look at it a little more positively, the confrontations in Bongcheon and Liaoyang would also play a part.

Even though I was a person from the future, the reality was that my inferior military power was not enough to do anything more than delay the battle.

Some might argue that the best way to do this would be to mobilize the brave people through an all-out war and “cover up the tactical disadvantage with a sea of ​​people,” but that would also be absurd.

Total war is ultimately directly related to one’s own industrial capacity, and the industrial capacity of the Korean Empire was extremely small compared to that of Japan.

Compared to the artillery depots in Tokyo and Osaka that produce 10,000 rounds of various shells every month, our depots are struggling to even produce shrapnel, let alone 75mm high-explosive shells.

The arsenals producing infantry equipment were showing even greater differences. We had already lost the First Arsenal in Hanseong.

It was clear that the monthly production of about 4,000 firearms at the 2nd and 3rd arsenals in Pyongyang and Hamheung would be insufficient to replace lost equipment.

Even if all the spare firearms were taken out, it would not be possible to arm even 10%, or even 5%, of the entire population of 1.5 million in Pyeongan Province.

Even if they were armed, it was obvious that they would end up like the Volkssturm of Germany or the Volksvolk of Japan at the end of the war. And most of them would rot away somewhere on the battlefield without even being able to fight properly, becoming bullets or cannon fodder.

There was absolutely no reason to fight that way. All you had to do was grab the most effective part, and fight where the enemy found it most lethal. And that led to a very simple conclusion.

The result was, ‘The Korean army, which must not lose, must fight against the Japanese army, which must not lose.’

“Our objectives are twofold. To prevent the enemy from going to Manchuria with full force, and to prevent the Korean Empire from being used as a rear base for the Japanese. We must reduce the enemy’s forces as much as possible, and make the troops that are going to Manchuria deal with us. Naturally, the Japanese army will not be able to deal with the Russian-Western forces because their rear is constantly being disturbed… Ultimately, it is more important to ruin the enemy’s war plan itself than to defeat the enemy.”

“but···.”

“Unfortunately, the reality is that the fate of Korea is not entirely in our hands. Ironically, our fate is in the hands of Russia and Commander Kuropatkin.”

While we were holding out, Russia had to redeploy as many troops as possible to Manchuria. I had already sent telegrams to Commander Kuropatkin about this, and Far East Governor-General Alexeev must have been informed long ago.

While the fence kept the storm out, they had to do everything they could to prevent disaster.

Of course, it is not certain whether Russia will be more proactive than in real history, but for now, that is the only way.

While I was talking to the new cavalryman, several cavalrymen in the front came galloping toward me.

“Your Majesty! A man named Ahn Eung-chil, an external official, is requesting to join us with a group of troops. He is said to have come all the way from Haeju.”

“hmm?”

If it was Ahn Eung-chil, wasn’t it the famous nickname of Ahn Jung-geun?

I had heard his name here too. He was one of the famous Asiatics in the government, and the Third Division had been keeping a close watch on him, so I couldn’t help but know him.

In the end, he was caught up in it and was effectively dismissed from his external bureaucratic position and sent back to his hometown, but I never thought we would meet again like this.

I quickly got off my horse when I heard he had come.

Then, one of the gunners who had followed the cavalry also dismounted and saluted me.

“I am honored to meet you, the renowned military officer. I raised a small volunteer army with my father in Haeju, and just then I heard that your army was heading to Pyongyang. So I ran day and night to Ye to fight the Japanese together with you.”

Along the retreat route from Gaeseong, there were cases where local troops, artillerymen, and civilian security forces tried to join the unit by forming individuals or small units and asking to be accepted.

He was probably one of them, but it was the first time he had come this far from Haeju to Pyongyang.

“Although we only brought a few dozen cavalrymen, they were originally hunters who traveled across the mountains and fields, so they can fulfill their role wherever they are deployed. Please allow us to join you.”

Looking at the troops he brought with him, I could tell that what he said was not a lie. Armed with a variety of firearms, from modified Murata rifles to Gew88 rifles that I don’t know when they were taken, they seemed to have quite high morale.

“You mean you came from Haeju to Ye?”

“Yes. Since we all said we would give our lives for the country, use us however you like. We are willing to face death anywhere, as long as it is under the command of the old man, the governor.”

“···The path we are taking now is one where death is everywhere. The pay is low, and it will be difficult to even save one’s own life.”

“But there will be patriotism and glory along the way. So no matter how hard it is, it doesn’t matter. Everyone has already prepared themselves to give their last breath for the country and the monarch. And please accept this.”

He handed me something he had taken out of his bosom, and Shin Pal-gyun accepted it for me, his eyes widening.

What was spread out was the Taegeukgi, and on top of the Taegeuk were four letters, “Korean Independence,” written in blood. For some reason, I felt like the fourth finger of my left hand was swollen…

“I and my comrades have already made up our minds to sacrifice our lives for our country, so please accept us into the Sunmuyeong. Let us use guns to destroy the cunning of those Japanese who are trying to bind our country under the false promise of peace in Asia!”

After receiving the Taegeukgi from Shin Pal-gyun, I looked at Ahn Jung-geun and said.

“All of these spirits should not die here.”

His eyes, filled with determination and a sense of betrayal toward the Japan he had trusted, seemed to burn with fighting spirit.

“It will be used in a bigger place than Sunmuyeong.”

“yes?”

I quickly took out a piece of paper and a pen and said, and after scribbling down a few words, I handed it over to Ahn Jung-geun.

An Jung-geun, who accepted it, looked at me and the paper with a bewildered expression, then opened his mouth again.

“What is this?”

“Go to Hamheung. There, meet with Chief Jo Dong-yoon of the Records Bureau of the Marshal’s Office. Tell him that you came on the recommendation of Commissioner Kim Si-hyeok, and show him that. Then, you will be able to do very dangerous but rewarding things, such as fighting and dying for your country.”

“······!”

He looked at me with surprised eyes, as if he realized what I meant.

I gave him a faint smile and turned my back again. They gave me a salute that I had seen somewhere before turning their horses and disappearing.

Yes, these are not the great men who will die here. Pyongyang and the land north of it were only for those who would die, so those who would do greater things could not be consumed here.

As we hastened our march to Pyongyang, which was just around the corner, white snow began to fall slowly from the sky.

Winter was coming earlier than expected.