NOVEL WEB Chapter 19: The Nikolayevsk Incident (Part 3)
February 27, 1920
The Red Army partisans, stationed in the outskirts, finally began their artillery bombardment.
"They've finally made their move. All units, proceed as planned. Contact the navy and request supporting artillery fire on the enemy positions. Also, send a telegram to the homeland," Major General Arima swiftly issued orders.
The Red Army's artillery consisted of only a few small-caliber field guns, which posed little threat. However, some damage was inflicted on the town's buildings.
The Japanese cruiser began shelling the enemy's field gun positions. Unfortunately, the Red Army had dug trenches and fortified their positions, rendering the naval bombardment less effective. Meanwhile, enemy infantry units advanced from the west.
The attacking force numbered around 2,000, maintaining a distance of about 200 meters from the Japanese defensive positions.
The western defensive line was held by 1,500 Japanese soldiers. Since it was unclear where the enemy would attack, the Japanese forces had to be dispersed across the town's perimeter. Even with 5,000 combat-ready troops, there was a limit to how many could be stationed in one area. The Japanese troops were armed with Type 30 rifles, and each position had two Type 38 machine guns. However, their firepower was insufficient. If the enemy launched a full-scale assault, it was uncertain whether they could hold the line.
"With the enemy this close, naval artillery support is impossible. Request 400 reinforcements each from the northern and southern positions," Major General Arima ordered. With 800 additional troops, they could gain a numerical advantage. They couldn't afford to let the enemy break through.
Historically, defenders have the advantage in battle, but only if they have strong fortifications and the enemy values their soldiers' lives. Nikolayevsk wasn't a fortress, so the Japanese could only defend key points. Moreover, the long defensive line between the town and the forest made it vulnerable. The Red Army, however, didn't care about casualties. Even if 80% of their forces were lost, they believed the remaining 20% could break through. This put the Japanese at a disadvantage.
The attack from the west, however, was a diversion.
Once the Japanese reinforcements were committed to the western front, the Red Army launched a surprise assault from the north, where the defensive line was longer. A detachment of about 500 soldiers, disregarding casualties, charged through the forest and breached the Japanese defenses.
"The western front is holding, but the northern force has broken into the town," Yakov, the Red Army commander, observed.
Several Red Army units successfully infiltrated the town from the north. Their goal was to cause chaos in the city and, if possible, attack the Japanese headquarters. If fires broke out across the town, the Japanese would be overwhelmed, allowing the Red Army to press their advantage and force a truce.
However, no fires erupted in the town.
The Japanese had prepared for this by building sandbag fortifications at key intersections, allowing them to create crossfire zones.
"Damn it! The whole town is crawling with Japanese troops. We're going to be wiped out!" one of the Red Army soldiers shouted.
The Red Army units that had infiltrated the town were surrounded and systematically eliminated by the Japanese.
Meanwhile, a Japanese Army detachment had flanked the Red Army positions, moving behind their lines.
"The naval bombardment will end in 10 minutes. We'll charge immediately after," Major General Arima ordered. He had coordinated with the navy to time the bombardment's end with the flanking maneuver.
"What's happening? What's going on?" Yakov exclaimed as gunfire and chaos erupted from behind his lines. By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late.
"Enemy forces! Probably the Japanese. They're attacking from the rear!"
The surprise attack from behind caught the Red Army off guard. With most of their infantry committed to the assault on Nikolayevsk, their headquarters was overrun, and Yakov was forced to surrender.
A messenger from Yakov reached the Red Army units attacking the town: "Headquarters has surrendered. Lay down your weapons and surrender."
The units attacking from the west, upon hearing of the headquarters' collapse, scattered instead of surrendering. Many of these soldiers were bandits who had joined the Red Army along the way. They knew that if they surrendered, they would face the same fate they had inflicted on others.
However, the units that had infiltrated the town didn't receive the surrender order. Surrounded by Japanese forces, they were desperate. Breaking through the encirclement was their only hope.
"Damn it! We'll take that pillbox! If we can secure it, we can reduce resistance in this block. The diversion operation has failed. After taking the pillbox, retreat on your own!"
The Red Army soldiers abandoned their plan to cause chaos in the town and decided to flee individually. Staying together made them easier to spot, and if surrounded, they would be annihilated. Scattering increased their chances of escape. However, as a ragtag force with little cohesion, coordinated action in a crisis was impossible.
The Red Army soldiers charged toward the nearest pillbox.
If the Japanese had more machine guns, they could have easily repelled the assault. Unfortunately, the limited number of machine guns had been distributed across the town's perimeter, and this particular pillbox didn't have one.
"Focus fire on the leading attackers!" the Japanese squad leader shouted.
The Japanese soldiers concentrated their fire on the Red Army vanguard. However, the Red Army soldiers, seemingly oblivious to their fallen comrades, pressed forward, stepping over the dead.
The Japanese Type 30 rifles held only five rounds. Once empty, soldiers had to reload using a clip from their ammunition pouches, a time-consuming process. This reloading delay proved fatal.
"Uoooooh!"
The Red Army soldiers charged with desperate ferocity. One of them managed to reach the pillbox and threw a grenade inside, silencing it.
"Yes! The pillbox is down! Now, retreat!"
The Red Army soldiers in the town split into small groups and began fleeing in all directions. Most were discovered and shot by the Japanese, but a few managed to escape.
One group, however, mistakenly fled deeper into the town instead of toward the outskirts.
"This is bad. We're heading into the town center. But we can't turn back now. Let's push through to the other side!"
The three fleeing soldiers decided to cut through the town. However, they unexpectedly ran into a Japanese unit.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The Red Army soldiers fired their rifles and pistols at the Japanese troops. A few Japanese soldiers were caught off guard and fell. However, one of the Japanese officers drew his pistol and returned fire, hitting one of the attackers. The other Japanese soldiers quickly joined in.
The Japanese unit consisted of seven Army communication personnel and Lieutenant Arima of the Space Force, who was accompanying them.
Realizing they couldn't break through, the remaining two Red Army soldiers smashed through a window into a nearby building. They had no real plan, but they hoped the building would provide cover and, if there were occupants, potential hostages. Though they weren't sure how effective hostages would be against the Japanese.
The room they entered was empty. Spotting a door at the back, they kicked it open. Inside, they found an elderly Russian man and an 18-year-old girl sitting against the wall.
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A/N: Thank you for reading Chapter 19!
What will happen to the elderly man and the girl now that the Red Army soldiers have burst into their room?
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