Magui's army suddenly moved south. Not only was the North Korean side surprised, but the Japanese army was also unexpected. As a result, the Japanese troops deployed forward were easily defeated, and the battle lines between the two sides were suddenly leveled to the Kaesong line.
The Japanese army was both angry and frightened by this. This collapse-like defeat actually had something to do with the way the Japanese army used its troops. Although the Japanese army invaded Korea twice with strong troops, after the last full-scale battle with the Ming army, they already knew how powerful the Ming army was.
To put it simply, when one's own forces are doubled, they can barely hold on. If they cannot concentrate four to five times their forces, there is no need to launch an attack on the Ming army, because they cannot defeat it at all.
Even when it is said that "twice the force can defend", that is only when the Ming army on the opposite side is not the absolute main force. If the Ming army on the opposite side is elite, it must be equipped with a large number of artillery. In this way, even if the Japanese army has twice the strength, in fact It’s also difficult to defend.
In the final analysis, the core advantage of the Ming army is that the Ming army is fighting a wealthy war, while the Japanese army has limited conditions and can only fight a difficult war. At this time, another trouble arises, that is, since it cannot hold on, it naturally has to retreat, but retreat is more difficult than defense, because the Ming army's cavalry advantage is even greater for Japan than their firearm advantage.
The Oriental horses of later generations are quite famous, but in fact, historically, although there have always been seven kinds of native horses in Japan, including the Kiso horse and the Miyako horse, they are all relatively short and can be used for daily use, but not at all for war.
In fact, Japan has been paying attention to the study of "horse politics" since the Tang Dynasty. However, due to limited conditions, until the Tokugawa Shogunate period, Japanese horses were still no more than 1 meter tall, even shorter than donkeys in some countries.
During the Meiji Restoration period, Japan actively introduced various European and American systems to develop its own production and carry out national construction. Although it had entered the era of hot weapons, the cavalry was still the main force of the army. Before the popularity of automobiles, horses were still the main means of transportation, so the issue of horse administration was taken more seriously by Japan.
It wasn't until 1867 that the opportunity finally came. At that time, in order to repay Japan for saving the French sericulture industry, France donated 26 Arabian horses to Japan. The ignorant Tokugawa shogunate gave them to the daimyo and retainers. After the Meiji Restoration, these Arabian horses were gradually recovered and used as stallions to improve local ponies.
After about ten years of reproduction, by 1887, the average height of Japanese horses increased from 1 meter to 1.3 meters. However, due to the small number of stallions and most of them being inbred, the effect was not very satisfactory. So Japan established the Santian Breeding Farm and formulated a 30-year horse breed improvement plan.
Since then, Japan has introduced various thoroughbred horses from all over the world and learned advanced Western animal husbandry techniques. By the time the Sino-Japanese War broke out, the average height of Japanese horses had reached 1.4 meters and their weight reached 329 kilograms.
It is worth noting that this standard has completely surpassed the mainstream Tatar horse breeds at that time. Although there is still a certain gap between Japan and Europe and the United States, Japan did not go to war with Europe and the United States at that time, so the impact was not significant.
By the time of the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, the height of Japanese war horses had reached 1.47 meters, but there was still a considerable distance from the Russian Don horses. Eight Japanese horses could not move an artillery cart, but six Don horses could pull the artillery cart as fast as they could. This was the difference.
In order to narrow the gap, in 1906, after Japan's 30-year horse breeding improvement plan ended, its government immediately established the Horse Political Bureau and launched a second 30-year horse breeding improvement plan.
According to data at the time, there were 1.5 million horses in Japan, and 6,000 were selected as stallions. There are roughly three types of horses: light horses include Arabian horses, Anglo-Arabian horses, and purebred horses, which are mainly used for people to ride; medium-sized horses include Anglo-Norman horses and Hackney horses; heavy horses include French Pells. Shima. Later, the Don horse captured during the Russo-Japanese War also became one of the stallions.
By 1923, six horse administration districts had been established in Japan, specifically responsible for the supervision of horse improvement, and the number of domestic horse farms had grown to three. Soon, studs spread all over the country, and they also bred private females free of charge.
In order to cultivate horses for specialized purposes, Japan has classified them in a targeted manner: mixed-blood horses hybridized with Norman horses, used for cavalry operations; descendants of Don horses are used in Japanese army artillery, heavy equipment, and used for material transportation; descendants of Arabian horses, Mainly used for equestrian competitions, and a small number are also used as mounts for senior Japanese officers.
In short, by 1939, the average height of Japanese horses had exceeded 160 centimeters, which was much larger than the Chinese horses at that time. Therefore, they were called "Oriental horses" by the Chinese military and civilians.
As a history buff and a loyal player of some World War I and II games, Gao Pragmatic had a deep understanding of these situations. He had been engaged in horse breeding in Jinghua for more than 20 years. Considering that Jinghua is a Mongolian horse The main "middlemen" naturally also had an impact on the Ming army's war horses.
Especially after the victory in the Monan War, Gao Pragmatic's influence on the army greatly increased. Most of the war horses in Xuandasan Town were mixed breeds of Mongolian horses. Their mixed blood mainly included Arabian horses and Akhal Tejin horses (Chinese). Yahan blood horses) and Ili horses, as well as a small amount of Akhal-Take horses and other blood lines.
Speaking of which, people who are more familiar with horses will find that this kind of breeding seems a bit familiar. Yes, in fact, the earliest Russian sword of the Czar, the Don hippopotamus, the loyal companion of the Cossack cavalry, was almost bred in this way.
It turns out that the Mongolian horses obtained by the Ming Dynasty from the Tumut and Ordos tribes were generally around 120-135 cm in height (referring to shoulder height), which is the typical height of Mongolian horses. However, the horse farm under Jinghua Trading Company has been breeding and selecting them for more than 20 years. Finally, war horses with a height of about 140-144 centimeters can now be stably bred, initially reaching the level of the early Don hippopotamus (the Don hippopotamus has also been continuously optimized and evolved in history).
However, as we all know, even if Jinghua can handle horse breeding and breeding, it is best to leave large-scale horse breeding to professional groups. Therefore, Gao Pragmatic has also cooperated deeply with Tumut to actively improve the entire Mongolian horse breed. The Ordos Ministry also joined this system after Gao Pragmatic put down the Kuaibai Rebellion.
According to the planned plan, after the victory of the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty regained Chahar, they also began to build their own military horse farm with Daning as the center. A multi-pronged approach was taken to ensure the supply of war horses and the continuous improvement and evolution of horse breeds. However, this takes time. At present, Just started.
It is actually very normal for national policies to take ten years to bear fruit. The reason why Gao Pragmatic has been able to make so many changes in Ming Dynasty in recent years is that as a rising political star of the same age as the emperor, he has experienced personal rise. The process also ensures the continuity of the policy.
This is like many countries in later generations turning left and right for many years, with the result being nothing. On the contrary, if a country is politically stable and united in one direction, its development will be ten times better than vacillating, regardless of whether it is going left or right.
This is the reason why it is most taboo to change a country's major policies in the morning or at night.
What is strategic focus? As a great man said: "My main purpose is to remain unwavering." Gao Pangjing originally understood this truth, but did not have a deep understanding of it. Now he himself has led the Ming Dynasty's thirty-year reform in this world, and he has a deep understanding of it. The experience can be deeply rooted in the bone marrow.
Speaking of cavalry, Gao Pragmatic's biggest imaginary enemy against the Ming Dynasty's powerful land enemy in the future is Tsarist Russia. Considering that the sharp knife of Tsarist Russia's eastward expansion is the Cossack cavalry, his various reforms of the Ming Dynasty cavalry are essentially aimed at the Cossack cavalry in his mind. Come.
Of course they are light cavalry, but they can also be used temporarily as heavy cavalry when needed. Therefore, the highly pragmatic reform of the Ming cavalry has three aspects: on the one hand, the quality of the cavalry requires reliability on horseback; On the other hand, it is also necessary to have a war horse with strong comprehensive capabilities, coupled with appropriate weapons and equipment. This is the construction of the three-in-one.
This three-in-one construction can only be said to have achieved initial results at present, but it is obviously more than enough to crush the Japanese army at this time. After all, the current Japanese cavalry is simply a joke in the eyes of the Ming Dynasty who just defeated Chahar. The Ming cavalry beat the Japanese cavalry. It was as if a thirty-year-old man was teaching a three-year-old boy how to fight, so that this time the Japanese army simply did not have a few cavalry on the battlefield.
The great difficulty for the Japanese army in this battle north of Kaicheng was that they could not defend themselves and collapsed as soon as they were attacked; they could not escape, and they were killed by the Xuan cavalry of the Ming army who were the first to complete preliminary reforms.
In less than five days, the Japanese front line that had advanced almost as far as the southern suburbs of Pyongyang collapsed thousands of miles away - er, exaggerated, it was actually two hundred miles - and retreated directly to Kaesong. The original invading vanguard was now concentrated in As a result, Hanyang in the rear was also nervous, wondering whether Kaicheng could be defended.
At this moment, the Japanese navy also sent another huge bad news in horror: the Ming navy had officially dispatched troops and had sailed eastward from Laizhou, Shandong, and the target was currently unknown.
Upon learning of the news, high-level officials from both the left and right sides of the invading Japanese army immediately gathered at the Hanyang Palace in North Korea to hold an emergency military meeting to discuss countermeasures.
Governor Konishi, who has always been known as a peacemaker, still spoke first and said: "Gentlemen, we have seen the strength of the Ming army's land division in Renchen year. If the land division is like this, can the navy be weak? Our army Although the navy has almost destroyed the North Korean navy, you will know by comparing how the North Korean land division compares to the Ming army's land division. So, will there be much difference in the comparison of the navy?"
Before he could finish his words, Kato Kiyomasa interrupted him angrily and said, "Xiaoxi Yukinacho! What do you mean? Before the war even begins, you try to build up other people's ambitions and destroy your own prestige. What on earth are you doing?" Where are you from!"
"The fight hasn't started yet?" Governor Konishi said not to be outdone: "The Ming army marched south from Pyongyang and pushed the front line all the way to Kaiping in five days. Who among our army's divisions has found a good way to deal with this Ming army attack? Yes? Let’s just talk about you Kato, how many Ming army attacks do you think your squad can withstand without retreating?”
For this second invasion of Korea, Kato Kiyomasa's headquarters has been changed to the First Army. However, because he suffered heavy losses the previous time, the number of troops this time is not as large as the first time, with only 10,000 troops. Governor Konishi's question pinched his sore foot, and Kato Kiyomasa was so angry that he cursed: "My first division still has nearly 10,000 troops. If the Ming army doesn't come with equal strength, there's no way they can force me to retreat!"
President Konishi didn't say much, and just sneered: "Really?" There was obvious disdain in his tone.
Seeing that the two of them were about to quarrel again, Kuroda Ruishui waved his hands and said: "In the current crisis, the most important thing is to work together as one. What problem can be solved if you two are so quarrelsome and quarreling with each other? Don't quarrel. Let me ask you first. Some Problems."
Arguing cannot solve the problem, everyone naturally understands this truth. Besides, after the death of Kobayakawa Takakage, Kuroda Asui has become the only recognized and highly respected wise man in the invading army. Since he wants to speak, everyone must give him face, so Kato Kiyomasa He and Mr. Konishi sneered at each other, but they both shut up obediently.
Kuroda Rushui asked: "No matter how this defeat came about, at least each team should have an understanding of the strength of the Ming army. Now who can tell me how many troops the Ming army sent this time, and who is the commander?"
The most unlucky one in the defeat on the northern front was the Fourth Army. The commander of the Army, Naoshima Naoshige, said with a sullen face: "We have roughly figured it out. The commander-in-chief of the Ming Army is still Song Yingchang, and the commander-in-chief is the new admiral who succeeded Li Rusong. Ma Gui is a famous general in the elite propaganda field of Jiubian. It is said that his status in the Ming Dynasty is similar to that of Li Rusong. He is the "Ma" in the so-called "Eastern Li and Western Ma".
As for the strength of the Ming army, judging from what Mono Jianban has seen with his own eyes, it is at least 70,000 to 80,000. Considering that the Ming army must still have troops stationed in Pyongyang and other places, it is estimated that the total number of troops should exceed 100,000 anyway, which is twice that of the Renchen year. "
Kuroda Rushui's expression didn't change much, he just nodded and said: "That means that our army's strength was slightly reduced compared to Renchen's year, while the Ming's army's strength was doubled compared to Renchen's. That's what it means. Bar?"
That's what it meant, of course, but hearing Kuroda Rushui say it straight and straight, everyone felt a chill on their backs for some reason. Naoshima Naoshima took a deep breath and could only answer: "...Yes."
"Okay, thank you His Highness Nabeshima for speaking out." Kuroda nodded calmly, looked around at everyone, and asked: "What is my view on the situation of the Ming Navy Navy?"
Todo Takatora said with a straight face: "Because most of our naval warships are not as fast as Ming Dynasty ships, we dare to observe the ships from a distance. The specific number is not detailed. What we know now is that the Ming Dynasty fleet is very large. In general, There are hundreds of them, including many great fortune ships.”
Kuroda Rushui frowned slightly and asked: "Is there only the Great Fortune Ship, not the Jinghua Giant Ship?"
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Thanks to book friend "Cao Mianzi" for your reward and support, thank you!
Thanks to book friends "o Shangshu Ling", "Cao Mianzi", "Ding Qi Zhao Bi Xin", and "Jiu Jie Shu" for their monthly ticket support, thank you!
PS: Holding parent-teacher conferences is really annoying, wastes time, and has no practical significance. I have emphasized it countless times and I will repeat it again. Parents have to check in and turn on the camera to make sure they are listening. I am really convinced.
. Lewen
