Unable to Withstand a Single Blow

"Boom! Boom!"

Mortars of every caliber were firing fiercely, continuing to bombard the defenders' positions.

The defenders, who had only just endured the previous fierce artillery barrage, once again suffered heavy casualties in the bombardment.

Mortars were not particularly powerful, nor did they have a long range.

But these guns fired rapidly and could lob shells in high arcs, dropping them directly into trenches. They were precisely the support artillery the army needed most.

"Rat-a-tat-tat!"

Numerous Maxim Heavy Machine Guns were firing wildly, their barrels elevated to send bullets arcing over the advancing soldiers and down onto the defenders' positions.

Defending soldiers were hit one after another, falling to the ground with screams.

On the ground, the soldiers of the Caucasus Military District advanced skillfully in skirmish lines.

Each infantry squad was centered around a light machine gun.

The light machine guns provided direct fire support for the advancing infantry.

The defenders simply could not withstand the Caucasus Military District's fierce firepower.

As casualties mounted among the soldiers, the defenders' morale sank to rock bottom.

Many defending soldiers even ignored the blocking detachments' warnings and turned to flee.

"Get back! All of you, get back!"

"Deserters will be shot on sight!"

"Rat-a-tat-tat!"

The blocking detachments' Maxim Heavy Machine Guns opened fire, killing many of the deserters.

The other defending soldiers were frightened as well and had no choice but to return to their battered positions to resist the attacking units of the Caucasus Military District, until they were killed on the battlefield.

"Rat-a-tat-tat!"

At the defenders' position, a Maxim Heavy Machine Gun was firing fiercely, pinning down the attacking troops of the Caucasus Military District so they could not raise their heads.

Bullets whizzed over the soldiers' heads, forcing them to lie flat against the ground to avoid being hit.

"Mortar, destroy that enemy heavy machine gun!" the second lieutenant platoon commander roared.

"Yes, sir!"

A 60 mm mortar was quickly set up and, after a brief adjustment, immediately opened fire.

"Boom!"

The first shell missed. But fragments from its explosion killed the machine gunner.

The assistant gunner immediately took his place, keeping the heavy machine gun firing.

"Boom!"

The second shell hit its target squarely.

The machine-gun position was destroyed, and the heavy machine gun was blown to pieces.

The pinned-down soldiers of the Caucasus Military District immediately charged.

"Grenades, throw!"

As they neared the defenders' trench, the platoon commander gave the order.

Grenades flew into the defenders' position. Many landed directly inside the battered trench.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Explosions rang out one after another, throwing the defending soldiers into chaos.

The soldiers of the Caucasus Military District seized the chance to storm the defenders' position and began clearing out the remaining enemy troops.

Many defending soldiers simply no longer had the courage to keep fighting.

When the defensive line was breached, they promptly raised their hands.

If they deserted, they would be shot by the blocking detachments.

Rather than face that, they might as well surrender to the so-called rebels.

If Grand Duke Mikhail won the civil war, then the rebels would no longer be rebels. Instead, the present government troops would become the rebels.

As a result, many defending soldiers chose to surrender outright.

In just one day, nearly all the defensive lines outside Kazan had fallen.

Having suffered heavy losses, the defenders could only retreat into the city, intending to make a desperate stand using its buildings and the defensive fortifications they had built.

That evening, Mikhail also arrived in Kazan.

"Your Imperial Highness, the fighting went very smoothly today. Our losses were extremely light. At present, we have occupied all the positions outside Kazan.

"We plan to launch an attack on the city early tomorrow morning!"

Major General Viktor Sakharov reported.

Mikhail nodded. It did not surprise him that the Russian army's combat effectiveness was low, or that it could not withstand a single blow.

Otherwise, it would not have performed so poorly in future wars.

Whether in the war against the Japanese or against the Germans in the First World War, the Russian army had been unable to withstand a single blow.

Strangely enough, though, after Soviet Russia was established and the Russian army became the Soviet army, those soldiers seemed like entirely different people.

Not only was their combat effectiveness transformed, but their will to fight was also exceptionally tenacious.

Examples of soldiers who braved death and fought to the last without retreating were everywhere.

Mikhail also hoped that the troops under his command could become a force like that.

"Kazan is a large city. Before the war, the urban population alone numbered well over a hundred thousand. Taking a city like this probably won't be easy." Grand Duke Mikhail lowered the binoculars in his hands.

Although it was difficult to see clearly at night, with darkness everywhere.

The outline of Kazan's urban area was still faintly visible.

Grand Duke Mikhail was very concerned that the troops would suffer substantial losses in the battle to take Kazan.

At the same time, they would be held up here for quite some time.

Given the current situation, Mikhail naturally hoped to achieve victory in the shortest possible time.

Otherwise, there were too many uncertainties.

The enemy nations in particular were itching to act, and might directly meddle in the war.

"Rest assured, Your Imperial Highness. Although street fighting is generally extremely brutal, given the combat effectiveness of the imperial army, they cannot possibly perform very well.

"Crushing the defenders assembled in Kazan within a week should be no problem."

Major General Viktor Sakharov seemed very confident.

Grand Duke Mikhail nodded. Given the Russian army's usual behavior, it was indeed unrealistic to expect them to fight to the death without retreating.

"The 11th Infantry Division, the 12th Infantry Division, and the 9th Cavalry Brigade will arrive tomorrow and the day after. The 9th Cavalry Brigade will head east of Kazan to intercept the troops the Orenburg Military District is sending to reinforce Kazan.

"The 11th Infantry Division and the 12th Infantry Division will be committed to the attack on Kazan.

"I want Kazan completely taken within a week, its defenders annihilated, and the road to Moscow opened!"

Mikhail ordered.

He had already learned that Grand Duke Nikolai was frantically assembling troops in Moscow.

"Yes, Your Imperial Highness. I guarantee we'll complete the mission!" Major General Viktor Sakharov replied.

"Order the artillery, including the Volga River Fleet, to keep firing on Kazan! Don't spare the shells. The arsenal is already producing them at full capacity.

"Even if we have to shell Kazan flat, so be it!"

Grand Duke Mikhail ordered.

Never sending soldiers to risk their lives over a problem that could be solved with shells was one of Grand Duke Mikhail's principles.

Although the Tsarist Russian Empire had a large population, Grand Duke Mikhail would not treat soldiers as cannon fodder like the previous rulers and Russian army generals.

In any case, the residents of Kazan had all fled.

Even if the city were completely destroyed, there would be no civilian casualties.

"Yes, Your Imperial Highness!" Major General Viktor Sakharov naturally had no objection.