MTL - Napoleon II Reborn-Chapter 534 Soldiers' lives are more important

"General, urgent call from Fortaleza!" Belem City, the South American Theater Command of the US-Canadian Allied Forces, the voice of the transmitter was thought together. A large number of staff officers and officers became busy. The attack of the French army greatly exceeded their expectations, so the entire South American theater felt caught off guard.

A staff officer, carrying a newly translated telegram, entered Karst's office. In his office, the three highest ranking people in the entire South American theater gathered together. They are Commander Cavester, Deputy Commander Brady and Chief of Staff Robert.

It's just that the faces of the three of them are a little ugly at this time. The entire South American theater was messed up by the French surprise attack. This also fully exposed how weak their command system is, and how low their combat effectiveness is. Otherwise, it would not have such a huge advantage in military strength, and it would have been messed up by the French army. [bsp; Cavenster took a look at the telegram from the staff officer's hand, and then threw it directly on the table.

"What news?" Robert asked.

"Fortaleza's request for help! They actually claimed to have been attacked by at least 60,000 French troops. How is this possible. You must know that the French army has invested at least 3 divisions in St. Louis. And the French army also attacked Recife And the total strength of the French 18th Army?" Cavester intuitively believed that this was just an exaggeration by the commander of Fortaleza in order to shirk responsibility for the defeat and loss of the city.

Robert nodded and said no more. This kind of thing does happen often in the South American theater. It even happened that a regiment of American troops was defeated by a battalion of the French. But in order to escape guilt, the regimental commander came back and reported that they were besieged by at least one division of the French army. He didn't even think about it, with the strength of the French army, if he really wanted to send out a division to besiege him, would he still be able to escape?

"Then what should we do now? The French attack is too powerful." Brady asked.

"Wait! We can only wait now. Order all places to do their best to resist the French attack. The French have only a small force. As long as this period of time passes, when their attack momentum weakens, it will naturally be our counterattack It's time." Cavenster said confidently. I don't know if he is really confident or just pretending.

"So the General Staff alerted us to the landing of the French fleet?" asked Robert. If the French fleet really arrives in South America, it will definitely provide a lot of supplements to the French fleet in South America, not only personnel, but also combat materials. In that case, their life will be even more difficult.

"This is a matter for the navy. If they can't defend the sea area and let the French fleet get under control, then we can't do anything. Even if the port is lost, both parties are responsible." Cavenster said.

The call for help from Fortaleza was ignored by Cavester. So much later that when the French fleet arrived in Fortaleza, Cavenster regretted it too late. I have to sigh: it's not that we don't work hard, it's that the French are too cunning.

Under the fierce attack of the French army, in the afternoon, all the outer positions of Fortaleza were captured by the French army. The US-Canadian coalition forces lost three to four thousand people, and the remaining 10,000 people all retreated into the city of Fortaleza, preparing to rely on street fighting to continue to resist the attack of the French army.

Although, the request for help only received a firm reply. But no one is willing to accept the trial of the military court, so everyone still tries their best to resist the attack of the French army. After all, they still have tens of thousands of people. Relying on a strong city, it is not impossible to resist the French army or delay it for a while.

At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, the French army organized a regiment of troops and launched a tentative attack on Fortaleza, but they were all beaten back. At this moment, the fighting will of the US-Canadian coalition forces is particularly firm. It is estimated that when they were in the outer positions before, they could retreat into the city, so the resistance was not firm. But now it has retreated into the city, and there is no way to retreat, and if it retreats further, it will be the sea. Therefore, as long as they didn't want to be prisoners, they had to pick up their guns and try their best to resist the attack of the French army.

As early as when the French army was still attacking the outer positions, the American and Canadian coalition forces in the city were not idle. They forced the 20,000 to 30,000 civilians in the city who had not had time to escape to assist them in building fortifications. In just one day, they built a large number of barricades and temporary firepower points. Turn the entire city into a fortress.

Moreover, during street fighting, the French army's large-caliber artillery could not be brought into the city, which undoubtedly greatly reduced the pressure on the American and Canadian coalition forces. Although the mortars and some 75mm field guns carried by the army can also play a role in dealing with these fortifications, in general, they still caused a lot of change to the French attack.

The tentative attack launched by the French army did not achieve much effect. In order to avoid unnecessary losses, the head of the regiment responsible for commanding the front line battle gave an order to retreat. After returning to the position, it was discovered that their regiment had lost more than 200 people in the attack just now, which was much more than when they swept the outer positions of the party.

"Your Excellency, Legion Commander, the Americans have completely turned the entire Fortaleza into a battle fortress. They will build barricades on all the streets. And, in the houses, they have built temporary machine gun fire points. It caused us a lot of losses. If we attack forcefully, it will definitely cause huge casualties to our army." The retreating regiment leader reported to Méng Di.

"I didn't expect that the opponent would be able to arm the city in just one day. It seems that this defender commander is really a talent!" Méng Di couldn't help but sigh with emotion. After fighting with the US-Canadian forces for two or three years, he felt that the commanders of the US-Canadian forces were mostly rigid, not only in offense, but also in defense. I really don't know how they defeated the British decades ago and won the victory.

"Then what should we do?" asked the deputy commander of the 18th Army.

"Let the soldiers take a good rest and attack tomorrow. The shelling of Fortaleza will start at 8:00 am. It will continue until 10:00 am. After that, during the attack, if resistance is encountered, the artillery can also attack at any time. Provide fire support for the troops." Méngti thought for a moment, then said.

"However, Your Excellency, Legion Chief, there are still a large number of civilians in the city. If the bombardment is indiscriminate, it will definitely cause huge casualties to the civilians. This is not good." The deputy legion chief hesitated.

"Since they helped the Americans build barricades, and the Americans built temporary firepower points in their houses, it is enough to show that they are resistance elements. The lives of my soldiers are far more precious than these resistance elements." méngti said firmly.

Seeing that Méng Di was so persistent, the deputy army commander had no choice but to say nothing. Anyway, the civilians who died were not French, so why did cào care so much.

The retreat of the French army boosted the morale of the defenders of Fortaleza. Since the start of the war, the number of times the American and Canadian coalition forces have repelled the French army is really not many. At the same time, this also strengthened their determination to resist the French army and defend Fortaleza. The garrison commander of Fortaleza even couldn't wait to send a report to the South American Theater Command, claiming that he had repelled the French army, and now Fortaleza is still under his control. questionable.

The next day, when the dawn sun shone on the French army's position, the French army's more than 200 mén artillery, large and small, had all been pulled out. The cannon coat had been taken off a long time ago, and the ferocious muzzle pointed obliquely at the sky. A large number of artillerymen were carrying shells shirtless, and even many infantrymen joined in. According to méngti's order, they are going to pour a large number of shells into Fortaleza, so the preparations must be done well.

When the hour hand pointed to 8 o'clock, the running commander of the French army gave the order for shelling. Above the artillery positions of the French army, the city was ringing. All the artillery were pouring cannon fodder towards Fortaleza, turning the entire Fortaleza into a sea of ​​flames.

"What's going on? Where did the shelling come from?" When the French shelling started, the Fortaleza commander ~www.novelbuddy.com~ of the American-Canadian coalition was still dreaming of resisting the French attack. He even I dreamed that after resisting the attack of the French army, reinforcements would come immediately. He led the army out of the city, and cooperated with the reinforcements to beat the French army to pieces. Because of this, he was promoted from major general to lieutenant general, and he was also awarded a medal, which can be said to have a bright future. But the sound of the French army's artillery woke him up from his sleep, only to realize that all this was just a dream.

"General, it's the French, they are shelling the whole of Fortaleza!" His adjutant rushed into his bedroom with a face full of panic.

"What's going on? Don't the French know that they are killing those unarmed civilians?" The commander of Fortaleza was also full of panic. The reason why he was so sure that he could withstand the French army's attack was entirely based on the premise that the French army took into account the civilians in the city and would not use large-caliber artillery. However, if the French army used artillery to bombard Fortaleza first, then his previous arrangements would be completely in vain.

"Order the ministries, we must stand firm. In any case, we must resist the French attack. In addition, we will send a report to the theater command and ask them for help. It is said that the French have launched an attack on civilians frantically. We are really I can’t hold on any longer.” The commander of Fortaleza City was no longer as energetic as before, and his face was full of panic. Once Fortaleza is captured by the French army, not only will he not get promotions and medals, but he can save his life, which is considered good.