It's better to conquer them than to command the steel torrent

Chapter 275 (Part Two) | First Battle Abroad (Combined)

By October 40, the combined forces of Britain and Ivan Ross had reached their peak strength for a short period of time.

Because Canada's military industry has not yet been fully mobilized, it cannot meet the needs of millions of troops for the time being.

况且其中一部分兵工厂的生产线需要调整，比如子弹要从英制7.7毫米（.303英寸）转为俄制7.62毫米，炮弹要从英制87.6毫米（25磅）转为俄制76.2毫米，这也需要时间。

With presidential approval, America has established its first unified intelligence agency, the Strategic Intelligence Agency, which had previously been fragmented.

The Office of Strategic Services' first official report was about Canada's war potential. The report concluded that although Canada was currently unable to support many troops, it was capable of providing necessary supplies for up to two million coalition ground troops in the future.

Shang Ke felt that this was somewhat of an underestimation.

Canaan, a country with a population of just over ten million, is actually quite ridiculous in terms of productivity.

During the years of the Great War, Canada manufactured over 80 trucks, 4 artillery pieces, 170 million firearms of various kinds, 1.6 aircraft, as well as large quantities of bacon and wheat.

Roughly speaking, such productivity, if used only for providing supplies and replenishing losses, would be more than enough to support several million troops.

Perhaps the people at the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) took public opinion into consideration? Or perhaps the people of Kanada simply didn't have a particularly high level of enthusiasm for war?
Once the coalition's offensive on the Great Lakes industrial region is thwarted, both sides will inevitably enter a temporary strategic stalemate.

The military industries of Canaan and America will gradually be mobilized, and the coalition's troop strength on paper will continue to increase. Correspondingly, the US military, having weathered the crisis, will also grow stronger with each battle...

In any case, Shank had no intention of staying in the Americas for long. He didn't want to waste any time there. He would rather use that time to participate in the Western Front counterattack against Europe or simply go back to his homeland for a vacation.

As dawn broke, Auckland Railway Station was brightly lit, and everyone was busy at work.

Armored personnel carriers drove onto flatbed trucks, and soldiers filed into the crowded freight cars. Trucks and artillery were also carefully secured.

At the very front of the platform, Shang Ke, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, was talking to a counselor sent by the embassy.

"Ambassador Liu specifically asked me to pass on a message to you."

"Alright, tell me, what secret do you have to share?"

"It's not exactly a secret, but the American government has started to strictly prohibit the wealthy from fleeing. Right now, both the political and business circles are a bit shaken. The number of people actually fleeing is still small, it's just a hint, and most people are just watching and waiting."

"That ban has been in place for a long time, hasn't it?" Shang Ke asked doubtfully.

"Hey, it's not the same thing. It's much stricter, and the punishments are much harsher." The counselor lowered his voice, pointed east, and said with amusement, "This kind of high-pressure order is bound to cause dissatisfaction. If you can't escape to the west, then you'll have to prepare an escape route to the east."

"It's not a big problem. President Roosevelt is still quite capable." Shank nodded to indicate that he understood and answered first, "In short, don't worry too much. Tell Lao Liu that the situation in the Great Lakes will definitely be stabilized. Don't worry at all."

Take care! Goodbye!

Why has the United States tried so hard to avoid having a president like Robert Redfield?

In short, the psychological trauma left by Luo's series of new policies on the American elite is too deep.

Putting aside the mandatory gold collection law, the tax collection alone is shocking enough. Before Master Luo took office, the personal income tax rate was a maximum of 25%. After he took office, it was immediately raised to 63%, and gradually increased to a staggering 88% or even 94%.

The wealthy earn millions of dollars, but end up with only a few hundred thousand. If they evade taxes, they'll have to wait for the IRS to come knocking.

Because the original plane had such a harsh environment, with war raging everywhere, the wealthy had no choice but to grit their teeth and bear it. They couldn't very well go to a German gas shower or a Soviet street lamp.

Things are different now. Due to the existence of the Great Unified Federation, Master Luo did not dare to set such a high tax rate, but it is still more than 60%. Because of this, the Great Unified Federation across the ocean has become a utopia in the minds of many American elites in recent years, and they are trying to find ways to get there.

However, Master Luo also signed several bills to prevent these guys from taking their money to the Great Unified Federation, so the wealthy people complained.

Previously, we could barely tolerate it because it was safe. But now that the invaders have reached the Americas, this land cannot even guarantee the most basic security. How can we tolerate it?
Since leaving for refuge is not allowed, surely we should leave ourselves some way out? Why not secretly contact the Britons and Ivan Rus's?

From this perspective, at least, the rule of the United States federal government was not as stable as it had been in the same period in history.

Who would have thought that things could be swapped like this? Shang Ke couldn't help but laugh when he realized this.

First line: In my past life, I only saw the East and the West.
Second line: In this life, I see Xi Rundong.
Horizontal scroll: Fortune turns like a wheel
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After the combined forces of Britain and Ivan Ross crushed the most prosperous metropolis on the east coast, they finally turned their attention to the Great Lakes industrial region.

The first to feel the threat were Detroit on the west bank of Lake Erie and Cleveland on the south bank.

Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler, the three major automakers, are all located in Detroit, which contributes the majority of the more than seven million vehicles manufactured in America each year. This city is truly the Motor City!
Cleveland is home to several giant steel and mining companies, with chimneys and blast furnaces standing like a forest, smelting tens of thousands of tons of alloy steel and wrought iron every day.

Despite the federal and state governments issuing directives to relocate industries with all their might, how easy is it to move such massive and heavy industrial equipment?

To date, less than one-fifth of the equipment has been moved to Seattle.

If the two cities fall, America will lose nearly half of its industrial capacity, and Chicago is not far away. If Chicago also falls, then the country will lose two-thirds of its industrial capacity.

Based on aerial reconnaissance, the American General Command judged that the invaders were about to launch an offensive, and therefore ordered all units to go on high alert, and to send out patrols to capture prisoners and interrogate them when the opportunity arose.

10 month 3 day.

That night, the president delivered his most classic "fireside chat," a radio address in which he declared that the United States had reached its most dangerous moment and called on everyone to fight bravely.

Our home is right here! We must not retreat even a step!
The following afternoon, under a gloomy sky, the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division stood by in a city called Cincinnati.

The beeping of telegrams echoed in a two-story building, the temporary location of the division headquarters.

Shang Ke was standing by the window, arms crossed, gazing absently out the window.

Just as Jian Keqiu's languid figure appeared in his mind, an urgent telegram from the Federal Volunteer Army Command suddenly arrived.

"To south of Cleveland?" He nodded, tapped the map, and quickly ordered, "One hour to prepare! Proceed according to the marching plan! This time it's for real."

Chief of Staff Huang Chen said slowly and deliberately, "Two hundred kilometers. If we're on a regular march, we'll arrive by tomorrow morning."

"It's better to hurry. There might be reconnaissance planes after dawn. It would be great to appear without anyone noticing, right?"

"Then hurry up, we'll be there around 3 or 4 in the morning."

Unfortunately, just as the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division was preparing to depart, a light drizzle began to fall from the overcast sky.

The late autumn rain already carried a chill; with no mountains to shield the Great Plains of America, the cold air from the Arctic Ocean flowed unimpeded southward.

As darkness fell rapidly, over ten thousand soldiers from the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division quickly assembled. Donning raincoats, the engines of trucks and armored personnel carriers roared loudly. Headlights slashed through the inky darkness like daggers, wheels rolled over the wet interstate highway, and soldiers, carrying packs and rifles, slid water droplets down their raincoats.

Despite the anxiety and uncertainty about the formidable opponents they would face, this was their first battle abroad in a century, and they could not afford to lose face.

All the officers and soldiers were filled with an indomitable spirit. No matter how cruel and bloody it was, they were determined to shatter the arrogance of Ivan the Great's army and break the myth of invincibility.

In the words of a certain Shang, it means turning the so-called trump card into a turtle!

If viewed from the night sky, the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division below now resembles a long, winding dragon, with countless lights converging to form this dragon.

Long-distance marches are not easy for mechanized troops. Wheeled armored vehicles are fine, but tracked vehicles such as tanks often break down.

Shang Ke was actually quite worried that the division's armored vehicle battalion might be a hindrance. Tanks are such precious items that it's not uncommon for one-fifth or even one-quarter of them to break down during a continuous march of several hundred kilometers. Fortunately, although the Type 32 medium armored vehicle was already outdated, it was also mature and reliable. Only three vehicles experienced mechanical failures. If it were the newly produced Type 40, the number would probably be three times higher.

At 2:15 a.m., we were 70 kilometers from our destination—Hudson, a small town south of Cleveland.

The major communications staff officer sped over on a sidecar motorcycle, jumped off, knocked on the window, and stood at attention to salute.

Shang Ke, who had been dozing for several tens of minutes, woke up with a start and rolled down the window of the SUV.

"Reporting to the division commander, we have received information that the enemy has begun an attack on the defensive lines around Cleveland. The attack is relatively small, and the Cleveland front command believes it to be a probing attack."

"Okay, the plan remains unchanged, let's prepare for a rest."

"Yes!"

The troops stopped marching and began a short rest of half an hour.

Short rest periods are brief, requiring you to stay in place and recover your strength. Long rest periods are longer, and you need to disperse and hide, eating and drinking.

Just over ten minutes later, the communications staff officer rushed over again in a great hurry.

"Reporting, Commander! The US military claims the situation has changed! That's not a probe! That's a formal attack!"

Ok?
Zhang Anyuan was looking at a map with Shang Ke at that moment, and upon hearing this, he said anxiously, "What should we do? Hurry up!"

Shang Ke stared at the few towns near their destination on the map, yawned, and calmly said, "Let's proceed at our own pace. We can't rush it."

For beginners, haste makes waste.

After a brief rest, the troops continued their advance according to the marching plan.

During the journey, Shank ordered a check with the Cleveland command to confirm that some outposts and defenses were still under their control.

Then, something strange happened without anyone noticing.

The last stop they were supposed to pass through on their march—the town of Medina—had disappeared.
The advance team searched for a long time but couldn't find Medina. Instead, they discovered that they were now close to Akron, which was not in enemy-controlled territory on the map. The US military had deployed a checkpoint and a small number of guard troops there.

3:10 AM.

The lead reconnaissance unit was the first to notice something amiss, and female warrant officer Sun Jie whispered a warning, indicating that they had encountered the enemy.

The other officers and soldiers thought she had made a mistake. Could those "enemies" busy in the drizzle be Americans?

However, upon closer inspection, the equipment of those guys was different, and the truck next to them also seemed to be of an unfamiliar appearance. They could also vaguely hear their conversation, which did not sound like English.

Just as everyone was hesitating about whether to ask for the password, the other side also noticed something was wrong. Someone screamed loudly, and then several beams of flashlights were pointed at them.

In an instant, gunfire erupted as Mosin-Nagant rifles and Degtyarev light machine guns unleashed a barrage of fire on the leading platoon of the armored reconnaissance battalion!
Dense bursts of rifle and machine gun bullets weaved through the drizzling rain!

The soldiers immediately returned fire, and despite being outnumbered, the fierce firepower of their automatic rifles and submachine guns turned the tide.

When the leading lieutenant picked up the signal pistol and fired, the female warrant officer in the same team had already told her comrades what she had seen and heard.

Just one minute later, several four-wheeled armored vehicles sped over, splashing everyone with mud and water, but no one complained.

"Deputy Company Commander!" Sun Jie shouted from behind an armored vehicle, "There are so many enemies here!"

"Damn it, be more specific!"

"Three or four hundred!"

"Where did the enemy come from?" The second lieutenant leading the team climbed onto one of the armored vehicles and shouted to the commander, "The Americans have probably already slipped away. This looks like a supply convoy. We should be able to take them out. When two platoons meet on a narrow road, the brave will win. Have the second and third platoons go around to the right and charge in."

Four Type 36 armored vehicles began firing fiercely, their 15.5mm heavy machine guns roaring loudly.

The tracer bullets flew toward the enemy with a terrifying kinetic energy of more than 20,000 joules, leaving nothing but devastation in their wake!
Several enemies were caught off guard and were beaten to a pulp, their flesh torn to pieces.

The trucks nearby also caught fire, and even the light rain couldn't stop the flames from growing bigger.

A truck tire was hit and caught fire, and the black smoke from the burning rubber mixed with the rainwater and rose up like an eerie fairyland mist.

"There's another machine gun over there! Shoot it down!"

"Rush over!"

"kill!"

The armored reconnaissance battalion of the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division was composed of 'no good guys' from top to bottom. Although it was their first time in battle, they swiftly and decisively annihilated these enemies who came from nowhere.

The soldiers surrounded the area one after another and began clearing the battlefield.

"Huh?! It's over?!"

"These enemies are the Russians?"

Some trucks were not destroyed, and when the tarpaulins were lifted, boxes of bullets and various food items came into view.

While the battlefield was being cleared, the interrogation of prisoners was also underway. Officers and soldiers surrounded a dozen or so surrendered enemies, curiously examining the supposedly invincible army of Ivanrod.

Just then, someone heard an unusual sound, and everyone immediately became alert.

The roar of engines could be heard from a great distance, and there were probably quite a few of them.

(End of this chapter)