Military is a continuation of politics, and superficial battles are only one aspect. To obtain tangible benefits, various private alliances are the core.
Argentina increased its troops on the front line, and the Paraguayan troops gained a strategic advantage by seizing Morandi. However, they were severely weakened by the absolute strength of the enemy.
Li Mingyuan was happy to see Paraguay and Argentina fight. However, for the sake of overall interests, Paraguay's excessive losses in the Misiones dispute would reduce its strength against Brazil. Therefore, some artillery units were sent to support the Paraguayans in defending the city, that is, slowly
Bleeding Argentina while also controlling the losses on both sides within a certain range to avoid the expansion of the war.
The San Javier Iron Mine is about thirty miles away from the Rio Grande do Sul border and is a piece of land of about 200 square kilometers deeded into the Rio Grande do Sul border.
Rio Grande do Sul lacks iron ore. When Li Mingyuan and Liu Pu discussed the industrial layout a few days ago, they mentioned the problem of obtaining iron ore. At that time, Li Mingyuan comforted Liu Pu with the answer of obtaining iron ore from outside. In fact, that
At that time, Li Mingyuan was already thinking about how to seize the San Javier Iron Mine from the Argentines.
San Javier is not far from Passo Fundo. If we capture San Javier, Rio Grande do Sul will have an iron mine in the country, which is of great significance to the industrial development and security of the country in its early days.
Selling weapons to Paraguay, increasing the number of troops in the San Pedro area twice, contacting Felner, and an artillery battalion that will fight as Paraguayans are all planned around the acquisition of the San Javier iron ore.
Argentines and Paraguayans fought fiercely on the front line. The Chinese troops occupied the San Javier iron mine at the right time, and then immediately sent people to negotiate with the Argentines, forcing them to agree to exchange San Javier for the western area of the San Pedro River.
By exchanging two hundred square kilometers of land for three hundred square kilometers of land, Li Mingyuan has left enough face for the Argentinians. If they don't agree, there will naturally be other solutions.
In Morandi City, Wang Dashan got up early to prepare for physical training outside the city.
"Brigadier Wang, please wait a moment. I would like to train with the brigade commander."
Wang Dashan walked to the door and heard a voice from behind. He nodded and said, "I'll give you two minutes. If you're late, I'll leave first."
"Understood, sir." Battalion Commander surnamed Wu said as he put on his black military coat. He packed it up in less than two minutes, and the two of them jogged out of the residence together.
As the sky dawned, after a brief half-hour of physical training, Wang Dashan and the battalion commander surnamed Wu began to walk back.
"Brigadier, you should have a profound meaning in bringing me to the banquet, right?"
The battalion commander surnamed Wu couldn't help but ask after holding it in for two days.
"Of course there are other arrangements, otherwise why don't I bring you here to have a meal?"
Wang Dashan made a joke and said seriously: "I couldn't tell you this matter originally, but I speculate that Istigali will make a decision today, so it doesn't hurt to tell you earlier."
Wang Dashan put on his military uniform and said as he walked: "Argentine reinforcements left Posadas four days ago. According to the normal marching speed, they can reach the outpost areas of both sides in three days, and a large-scale counterattack may break out within a week.
"
After Wang Dashan introduced the mobilization situation of the Argentine troops, he asked: "Batalion Commander Wu, you have been in Morandi for a day, what do you think of the situation of the Paraguayan troops?"
"Istigali said yesterday that 3,000 soldiers from the rear reinforcements will arrive in Morandi in two days. Together with the more than 4,000 troops currently in the city, with more ammunition and weapons, it will be difficult to defend the city of Morandi.
Even with great effort, we can protect the city for ten days."
"What you said is what I heard from Istigali. The Paraguayan soldiers are true to their endurance and bravery. The number of seven thousand soldiers should be about the same. However, Istigali only talked about the advantages of the Paraguayan army. As for the
The shortcomings were not mentioned.”
"What does Brigadier Wang mean?"
"Battal Commander Wu, think about it, when Istigali greeted us at the city gate yesterday, how many artillery pieces were there at the top of the city?"
"There are about twelve artillery pieces with a caliber of 100 mm and above. Twenty artillery pieces with a caliber of 65-85 mm. As for the smaller artillery pieces, my subordinate did not check them carefully."
"More than thirty artillery pieces of 65mm or above are quite a lot for defending the city. But Battalion Commander Wu, have you noticed anything unusual about the Paraguayan artillery?"
The battalion commander surnamed Wu commanded the artillery of the first battalion. After Wang Dashan reminded him, he responded quickly.
"The Paraguayans don't have ammunition boxes next to their artillery. They don't have enough ammunition!"
"Yes, the Paraguayan troops lack ammunition, and the artillery they bought from European powers was almost used up in the Paraguay War. During the war, the British imposed a blockade on Paraguay, and no country was willing to sell them weapons. After the war,
Paraguay has no money to buy weapons. Some of the artillery they put on the city tower were captured from the Argentines, and the other part are old artillery that our army has eliminated."
"When Brigadier Wang said this, I remembered it. No wonder those small artillery pieces looked familiar. They turned out to be the guys we eliminated. I thought those eliminated artillery pieces were all distributed to the local security forces!"
The battalion commander surnamed Wu said suddenly.
"The security force was divided into a small part, and most of it was used to trade women with Paraguayans."
"The prince will still do business and use the obsolete artillery to find wives for his brothers. I think the Paraguayans will be very reluctant to let go!"
As the scale of trade with Paraguayans continued to expand, a large number of Paraguayan women entered Rio Grande do Sul, and the previously sluggish activities of dating and starting families quickly became busy.
The acquired Paraguayan women were distributed according to the size of their military merits. Soldiers and officers at all levels with great merits gave priority to selecting Paraguayan women they liked. Battalion Commander Wu, as a mid-level officer of the newly formed artillery brigade, also received a quota to marry.
A nineteen-year-old white Paraguayan girl as wife.
The battalion commander surnamed Wu got a wife. He was happy but at the same time looked down upon the Paraguayans. Barbarians were barbarians. There was no reason to push away the women of his own country.
The battalion commander surnamed Wu mocked the Paraguayans for exchanging women for weapons and equipment, but ignored the even worse experiences of Han women under the Manchu rule in the mainland. The most beautiful Han women were taken over by the Manchus and local tyrants, and the daughters of the affected families were even more miserable.
He was raped by his parents and sold at a low price.
Throughout the dynasties, the people suffered from disasters. Even if the Han court was concerned about face, it would prohibit forcing the people into slavery. The Manchu and Qing government itself was a slave country. The Manchus were the slaves of the Manchu Tatar emperor, and the Han people were not even qualified to be slaves.
I don’t know whether it’s ridiculous or sad that such a backward regime can rule the mainland for nearly three hundred years!
What Wang Dashan wanted to say was that the Paraguayan troops lacked artillery to defend the city and suffered too much in the face of Argentina's superior equipment. Battalion Commander Wu had just married a beautiful wife and was happy for the moment but focused on laughing at the Paraguayans.
Wang Dashan promptly reminded the battalion commander surnamed Wu and explained to him that Li Mingyuan dispatched an artillery battalion to help the Paraguayans defend the city.
After the battalion commander surnamed Wu heard the explanation, his complacency in mocking the Paraguayans disappeared instantly. After eating a meal of Istigali, he wanted to stay and help them fight. No matter what he thought in his heart, it was not the right feeling.
"You are personally responsible for the command of the artillery battalion. There is no need to worry about Isti's intervention."
Wang Dashan patted his shoulder and consoled him: "Helping Istigali defend the city is part of the prince's plan to intervene in the Misiones conflict. After negotiating with Istigali, the artillery battalion will arrive immediately.
Morandi, cooperate well with Istiga to defend the city, your contribution will be indispensable after the battle is over."
All plans were made by Li Mingyuan himself, and the battalion commander surnamed Wu could only obey the orders even if he didn't understand them.
