The boundary river between Uruguay's Durasno and Cerro Largo provinces is the connection between the Rio Grande hills and the Negro River. It is also the weakest point in the entire Uruguay defense line.
If this weak point is breached, there will be huge holes in the entire mountain and river defense line. The Nebegro River defense line will collapse and the hill defense line will fail. The Portuguese army will circle the hills and drink from the Mayin River.
The Yin River is the largest tributary of the Negro River. It can also be linked to the mountainous and hilly defense lines. However, the Yin River is not wide, the water is not deep, and it is not closely connected to the mountainous and hilly defense lines, making it very easy to be breached. The battle around the boundary river was the most intense battle between Portugal, Uruguay and South American volunteers.
Although Portugal launched the war to train its troops in preparation for the upcoming World War I, the border river defense line was too narrow, and a heavy price had to be paid each time to cross the river, and they were often repulsed. Under the tug of war, the Portuguese sacrificed too much.
His Majesty the Emperor couldn't stand the meat-grinder-like fighting situation anymore, and demanded that the boundary river be broken through and the front be widened to better utilize the training effect.
On March 16, the Portuguese Ministry of Defense ordered the forward command to launch a battle to break through the Boundary River and push the war to the Yin River.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!..."
On the morning of March 16, the Portuguese army carried out saturation bombing with up to 240 305mm, 240mm, 155mm, 150mm, 105mm, and 75mm heavy artillery towards the boundary river and adjacent mountain defense lines.
The junction point between the boundary river and the Rio Grande Mountains. The Cerro Chatto Highlands, as a rugged corner supporting the boundary river, received special attention.
In Tunnel No. 1 in the Highlands, dust was shaken down from time to time, and the soldiers inside endured the torture of shelling.
"Cough! Cough! Cough! Jaylen, the artillery fire in Portugal is so fierce today!" Deputy Company Commander Bennett said to the company commander.
In order to better train troops, Portugal usually uses 105mm and 75mm artillery shelling. Today, in order to break through the boundary river, all heavy artillery in the southern theater of Portugal was put into use.
"Yes, today's artillery fire was fierce and lasted for a long time. Fortunately, we dug the tunnel well, otherwise we would have suffered heavy losses.
I am now very worried about the situation of the troops on the plains, which has always been the focus of Portugal's breakthrough. This shelling has put us all on the mountains under tremendous pressure. The pressure on the troops at the foot of the mountains is definitely greater than ours. I hope the losses will not be huge, otherwise I'm afraid …”
Bennett certainly knows what Jaylen Brown said, and he is also worried about the troops under the mountain.
"Jalen, there is a news that has spread widely in our army. The Portuguese are using us to train their troops. They rotate the troops from various theaters to the front line just to make them feel the war.
Although this news has always been said to be false, looking at today's bombardment, this news should not be false.
The normal artillery fire of the Portuguese army is not even 1/10 of the current one. The concentration of such heavy firepower now should be because the Portuguese army has made some kind of decision to break through the boundary river.
Now we cannot support the boundary and river defense line. If the defense line cannot hold up, the first line of our mountain and river defense line will be breached, and the next battle will be more difficult to fight. "
"Bennett, don't be so negative. We in Uruguay have the support of the United Kingdom, Argentina and Chile.
Now our equipment has been replaced and is better. The large and heavy artillery said that it is on the way to support. As long as we persist, I believe that Portugal cannot destroy us with the same army and equipment. "
"Jalen, although our weapons are very advanced now, I feel that those volunteers are unreliable. Several times the defense line fell because of them.
We in Uruguay only have that much population, and 1/4 of the population has already fallen. Our military strength has reached its limit, but Portugal has not.
Those Argentine and Chilean volunteers will not do anything to protect Uruguay. Many of them have returned home. Although there are new volunteers coming, they are all naive and will eventually be forced by the cruel reality. Retired. "
Bennett is not unpatriotic, but when he faced Portugal, as a national of the small country of Uruguay, he felt hugely powerless.
"Jaylen, do you know what's going on at the rear?
What has not yet fallen is still in our hands, and many people have no determination to defend their country.
Through my channels, I learned that the president ordered all Italians in the rear to be imprisoned, isolated in a centralized manner, and asked to produce supplies in factories. This caused huge condemnation in the international community and also caused riots in the rear. "
"How can the president do this? There are many Italians in our country, and there are also many Italians in our company. This will disturb the morale of the military." Jaylen said in shock.
Jaylen did not doubt Bennett's words, because Uncle Bennett worked in the Uruguayan Transportation Bureau and now also provided logistics support for the army. It was not difficult for Bennett to obtain information from the rear from his uncle.
"The president has no choice but to do so. Many Italians in the country want to join Portugal, become citizens of a big country and enjoy better benefits.
The fact that the Vice President rebelled with a vote of government personnel proved the unreliability of Italians. "
Bennett did not think that the president's decision was a mistake. The decision to imprison Italians was completely forced by the facts.
"Jalen, now the government is counting on the UK to end. Because only the UK, the world's hegemon, can save us, but now the war has not stopped, and the UK's mediation has failed.
Since Brazil and Portugal merged to form the Portuguese Empire, which is stronger than before, we in South America are getting increasingly sad.
Now there are only four independent countries left in South America. We in Paraguay are still at war. I wonder what is happening to the European countries? Is it just to see Portugal occupy the entire South America? "
Although Bennett is well-informed and has a higher vision, he is still not at the top and does not really understand the world situation.
He is just angry, what happened to European countries? Why do you ignore the situation in South America? There are no substantive sanctions against Portugal.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!..."
On the west bank of the boundary river, the Uruguayan fortress was smashed to the point of collapse, with many loopholes appearing. The ground positions were also blown up with dust, and many trenches collapsed.
The Uruguayan soldiers and volunteers who were nesting in the potholes blocked their ears and endured the damage from the sound and vibration of the gunfire.
The land on the Uruguayan grasslands is not very solid. Under the continuous shelling, many potholes collapsed. Some soldiers could not break free and died in the potholes.
While the Uruguayan soldiers were struggling to hold on and avoid the shelling, the Portuguese army launched an attack.
Nearly a hundred ships carrying military horses, cavalry, and soldiers set off from the east coast and galloped toward the west coast.
Different from the past, this time the Portuguese army mobilized a large number of cavalry. The reason for this was to allow the cavalry to sacrifice some more, then break into the rear and establish a simple defense line to block the Uruguayan reinforcements and make a roundabout way for the large army. Prepare to outflank and siege the Lower Boundary River defense line.
