In the Port of Duguaisu, on the vast Paraná River, a loading and unloading fleet consisting of small steamers and wooden sailing ships frequently shuttled between the fleet and the port.
Boxes of goods were unloaded from the transport ship and then transported to the port via small steamers. Then groups of soldiers acted as manpower and cooperated with each other to transfer the goods to the military camp.
The transport fleet carried all artillery shells, ammunition and other military supplies for use by the Paraná River Front Army of the Republic of Brazil.
Standing on the shore of the port, Rodriguez turned his sight to the right and forward. Rodriguez could even see shining rifle bullets through the holes in the damaged wooden packaging boxes.
The hole in the wooden packaging box was obviously not caused by improper loading and unloading, but it looked like the damage left by being hit by an old breech-loading rifle bullet.
Rodriguez's guess was correct, which was easily verified by several officers wearing white bandages.
"General, I'm sorry. The fleet was attacked by several groups of Paraguayan resistance forces while sailing from Guaira to Du Guaysu. The soldiers in the transport fleet suffered more than 40 casualties, and the ammunition and supplies carried by the fleet were also destroyed.
Six boxes were damaged.”
An officer with the rank of colonel on his shoulder straps and a white bandage on his right arm walked up to Rodriguez and said slightly apologetically.
"It's not your fault. The armed resistance activities in central and northern Paraguay are becoming more and more rampant. You were able to cross the rebel area and safely transport ammunition and materials to Duguaisu. This is considered to have completed the task. As for the losses during transportation,
Some ammunition and supplies are also inevitable."
Rodriguez understood the difficulties of carrying out logistical transportation tasks, so he did not criticize the transport fleet too harshly. However, he also had a doubt in his mind. Carrying out military material transportation tasks was a military secret. The departure time of the transport fleet and the stopover for supplies
The location is generally not leaked, but how can the Paraguayan resistance armed forces predict the departure time and location of the transport fleet, and ambush various supplies along the route in advance, station near the port, and carry out precise attacks?
Rodriguez thought about it carefully and noticed something unusual.
The only people who knew the departure time and docking location of the transport fleet were those within the Paraguayan army. Without the tip-off from insiders, it would have been impossible for the Paraguayan resistance to accurately predict the movement patterns of the transport fleet.
The result of the guess was very close to the truth. However, when I thought about it, there was corruption and factional strife within the Republic of Brazil. Many high-ranking military and political officials were intentionally or unintentionally leaking all kinds of information to the Han Dynasty out of economic and self-interest.
It can be said that in the face of the money offensive, the internal affairs of the military and political affairs of the Republic of Brazil were originally compromised by various forces and mixed together, but they have been riddled with holes by the intelligence forces of the Han Dynasty.
It can be said that it is very possible for officials and generals of the Republic of Brazil, who value money first and interests first, to sell out military intelligence within the army of the Republic of Brazil in order to obtain money and possible future political commitments from the Chinese side.
One or more bribed Brazilian officials and generals transmitted the obtained information on the transport fleet to the Chinese side through secret channels. The Chinese intelligence organization then sent the transport fleet out through the intelligence branch organization deployed in Paraguay.
, the information about the stopover was leaked to the local resistance armed forces in Paraguay.
Through a secret intelligence channel that spreads across Brazil, Han, and Paraguay, military intelligence is transmitted from the inside out. Based on the analysis of the capabilities of the Han intelligence department operating in Brazil and Paraguay for more than ten years, it wants to do this
level, it is not difficult.
After roughly deducing the truth behind the attack on the transport fleet, Rodriguez suddenly became vigilant, and also became suspicious of the Brazilian officer in charge of the transport mission.
However, suspicion based solely on speculation has no effect and will not play a positive role in improving the operations of the frontline troops of the Republic of Brazil. Therefore, despite having doubts in his heart, Rodriguez still showed no abnormality on the surface.
Carry out material handover work with the other party in accordance with established rules in the past.
After working for most of the day and transferring all the military supplies to the port shore, Rodriguez got up and returned to the military camp.
"General, how come the combat supplies shipped this time are one-third less than last time?"
A middle-aged general walked into Rodriguez's room, holding a list of supplies and asked.
"The fighting in the Asunción direction is fierce and the consumption of combat materials is huge. Therefore, the central government decided to divert part of the military materials scheduled to be supplied to us and give them to the Asunción Front for use."
"However, the supply of combat supplies to our army is also very tight. A month ago, Rio de Janeiro had already cut the amount of military supplies supplied to our army by a quarter, and now it is removing another third to supply it to Asunción.
General! Due to insufficient supplies of livelihood and military supplies for frontline troops, there have been more than 20 incidents of looting Paraguayan villages.
If the central government is allowed to continue messing around like this, our army's sustained combat capabilities may be greatly weakened! The morale of the army will also suffer a major blow!"
Major General Mahiel, Chief of Staff of the Paraná Front Army, said: "The current difficulties faced by our army must be reported to Rio de Janeiro, and there must be no further reduction of military supplies. Otherwise, this war will not be fought."
"Rio de Janeiro also has their difficulties. The Asunción front is the main direction of the Paraguayan war. The fighting there is more intense than the Paraná River Basin front. They do need more military supplies."
Rodriguez explained: "As long as we capture Asunción, we will increase our chances of winning this war by half. We will give priority to the supply of military supplies to Asuncion. There is essentially no problem.
Of course, the role of the Parana River Basin front cannot be ignored. Without our army on the flanks to contain the Han army in the direction of Encarnacion, it would not be so easy for the Asuncion front to achieve final victory.
Therefore, I will fight for the military supplies that need to be fought for from Rio de Janeiro. When it is time to make concessions for the sake of the overall situation, I must be magnanimous and make concessions."
Rodriguez patiently calmed his chief of staff, and then continued: "The current military material reserves are enough to support our army to maintain a week of war consumption for a medium-sized battle. Transferring part of the military materials to the direction of Asunción will be of great benefit to our army."
The current frontline situation will not be affected, and if the fighting reaches a stalemate in a week, our army can also apply for new ammunition and material supplies from Rio de Janeiro."
"As you command, General."
Mahiel sighed and reluctantly accepted Rodriguez's persuasion.
"Okay, don't worry about logistical issues. Let's focus on the frontline battlefield first and pay attention to the march of the advance troops."
Rodriguez forced a smile on his face and asked: "Where did Major General Getulio's Ninth Division march to? How far is it from Villarrica?"
"General Getulio called back an hour ago and said that the Ninth Division is currently staying in Mauricio County for repairs. They are still about three hours' march from Villarrica."
"Call back to General Getulio and give the Ninth Division two hours to repair. After the two hours are over, immediately leave for Villarrica. Make sure that the Villarrica train station is in the hands of the advance troops.
