Chapter 235 Goa Offensive and Defense
After a brief adaptive training, the five airships currently owned by the aviation laboratory were dispatched to Portuguese Timor and Portuguese India respectively, becoming the trump card for the defense of the two places.
Because the aircraft needs to be kept secret, it cannot be used in the next war. Airships can also play a role similar to airplanes, performing well in reconnaissance, bombing, etc., and can also be used in the transportation of materials.
If there is no war, these five airships will serve as transportation vehicles. Each airship can transport more than ten tons of supplies and takes much less time than a transport ship.
Fortunately, the three occupied colonies all have a large indigenous population, so there is no shortage of labor when building defensive positions, and the construction of defensive positions is also very fast.
After securing the cement and steel bars needed to build positions in Australasia, the three colonies quickly established defensive positions, among which the defensive positions of Portuguese India and Portuguese East Timor were more complete.
After the time entered September, all three regions began to prepare for war. Even Australasia mainland sent a large number of fleets for patrols.
But what Arthur didn't expect was that September was almost over and there was still no trace of the Portuguese.
If the captured Portuguese soldiers were not still working in the mines of Australasia, Arthur almost thought that Australasia had entered a state of peace with Portugal.
Finally, at the end of September, a small fleet patrolling the Indian Ocean finally discovered traces of the Portuguese fleet.
After layers of reports, the news was also conveyed to the three colonies and Arthur.
The Australasian soldiers were not nervous about the impending war. Instead, they were just looking forward to the achievements they were about to make.
Although Arthur did not go to Portuguese India in person, Arthur's speech in Portuguese Timor still reached the ears of the soldiers of the Second Division through various means.
With all their worries solved, the soldiers naturally look forward to the meritorious service after winning the war. After all, who doesn't want to become a noble?
Even the commander of the Second Division, Fritz Lehner, was gearing up and quietly waiting for the arrival of the Portuguese.
Of course, expectations are expectations, and various preparations and response measures are also essential. Commander Fritz wisely gave up the defense of the coast and instead established two very strong defensive positions outside the city.
There is no other reason. If the battle is carried out on the coast, the Portuguese fleet can cause large-scale damage to Australasian soldiers, which is what Division Commander Fritz does not want to see.
Judging from Arthur's character, even if Commander Fritz successfully resisted all Portuguese attacks, if the army suffered a large number of casualties, the merits would be offset, which would not only greatly reduce the credit, but also make Arthur dissatisfied.
Therefore, Firitz's defense plan was very simple, that is, to abandon the outer coast and even the city if necessary, with the goal of weakening the Portuguese's effective power.
As long as all the Portuguese reinforcements can be eliminated, Australasia will have the final say in the war.
Using a small Portuguese India in exchange for a large number of casualties from the Portuguese reinforcements was a sure profit for Division Commander Fritz.
In order to prevent the Portuguese fleet from using naval guns on warships to support Portuguese soldiers, Commander Fritz deliberately built defensive positions closer to the city, and some Portuguese would serve as laborers during the war.
As long as the Portuguese dare to bombard with naval guns, Australasia will immediately release photos of the scene and the tragic situation of the Portuguese being bombed.
The country's own cannons bombarded its own people. The sensation this caused in Portugal is spectacular when you think about it.
September 28, 1907, coast of Portuguese India.
After nearly two months of preparation, the Portuguese fleet sent the first batch of troops to the surrounding Portuguese India.
This was a reinforcement force composed of 11,000 Portuguese soldiers and 9,000 indigenous soldiers. It was also an army urgently dispatched by Portugal from its mainland and African colonies.
Of course, this is only the first batch of reinforcements from the Portuguese. In order to calm the domestic tension and panic, Carlos I specifically ordered that on the basis of the original 40,000 troops, an additional 40,000 troops were transferred from the colonies to form an 80,000-strong army. Not only did he want to take back the three occupied colonies, but also Teach Australasia a lesson.
However, transportation of such a large army is also a problem, and it must be transported at least three to four times.
The first target captured by the army was finally decided on Portuguese India after long discussions by the Portuguese military.
In fact, it is easy to understand. Portuguese Timor is too close to Australasia. Reinforcements from Australasia can arrive quickly at any time, and they also have to worry about Australasian reinforcements from Portuguese India encircling the Portuguese army. .
The same is true for the colonies in East Asia. Moreover, the colonies in East Asia have small land areas and small populations. Even if they are occupied, they will not be able to restore much public morale and military morale. On the other hand, Portuguese India was the colony with the largest land area and the largest population among the Portuguese Asian colonies, and the Indians were more obedient than the natives of other colonies.
If Portuguese India can be recovered, Portuguese India can also be used as a springboard to recover the other two colonies.
Arthur and the Australasian military had already anticipated this. Not only did they provide the most resources to Portuguese India, but they also mobilized more than 3,000 troops from Portuguese Timor.
This results in the current Portuguese India having a total of nearly 10,000 troops, plus three airships and a large number of artillery and weapons reserves.
On the afternoon of September 28, the Portuguese fleet officially approached the coast of Portuguese India and launched a so-called land battle to seize the beach.
Nine thousand indigenous soldiers took the lead, and unexpectedly found that there was not a single Australasian soldier on the coast, not even any defensive positions or facilities.
The Portuguese were still uneasy and allowed the natives to continue to expand for one kilometer. After still no traces of the Australasians were found, the Portuguese soldiers landed with confidence. The commander of the reinforcements even laughed and said: "Yes. Knowing the arrival of our reinforcements, the Australasians have become timid! You will all be heroes in recovering the city of Goa!"
The Australasians showed no resistance at all, not even a single figure, allowing the Portuguese to relax completely.
It only took Australasia a few days to capture three Portuguese colonies, causing a lot of panic among the Portuguese people and government.
Now it seems that the Australasians are nothing more than this. Perhaps the capture of these three colonies has already severely damaged their vitality, and they are regretting it now.
Under the orders of the Portuguese general, 9,000 indigenous soldiers took the lead, followed by more than 10,000 Portuguese soldiers, who slowly advanced towards Goa.
No Australasians were found along the way, which made the army's march speed up a lot. Many Portuguese soldiers were already having a pleasant conversation, discussing where to drink after entering Goa.
It was not until they arrived near Goa that the indigenous soldiers in front discovered the Australasian position.
At the same time, Division Commander Fritz also discovered these Portuguese troops.
The indigenous soldiers at the head of the battle were undisciplined and had relaxed expressions. They obviously had no self-awareness of being cannon fodder.
The Portuguese soldiers in the rear were also relaxed and relaxed. Those who didn't know the situation might have thought they were here for fun.
Seeing such a scene, Commander Fritz immediately asked the messenger to quietly inform the reserve troops in the rear and ask them to go around to the rear of this group of Portuguese soldiers.
Commander Fritz divided the 10,000-person army into three parts. The first position was 4,000 people, the second position was 1,500 people, and there was also a reserve force of 4,500 people, ready to support the second position at any time. The first and second positions.
After seeing how loose the Portuguese army was, Division Commander Firiz was confident that he could hold on with more than 5,000 troops in two positions. He asked more than 4,000 reserve troops to go around the enemy's rear, form an encirclement around the enemy, and eliminate all Portuguese soldiers. This is Commander Fritz's final plan.
The reserve troops are behind Goa, about one kilometer away from the forward defensive positions.
Coupled with the obstruction of surrounding vegetation and buildings, the Portuguese army did not notice that a person was missing from the position, nor did it notice that an army disappeared quietly outside the position.
After various reports, the Portuguese general also learned about the situation in the Australasian position.
However, the Portuguese military has long been prepared. In order to deal with such a positional battle, these nine thousand indigenous soldiers are the best cannon fodder. The large number of artillery mobilized from Portugal is the confidence of the Portuguese army not to be afraid of such a positional battle.
After ordering the artillery to set up positions and aim at the Australasian positions ahead, the Portuguese general smiled slightly and ordered: "Charge!" With the order
, nine thousand indigenous soldiers quickly rushed towards the positions ahead. It's not that they are so brave and fearless, but the guns of the supervisory team and the Portuguese soldiers behind them are pointing at them. If they don't charge, they will definitely die under the guns of the Portuguese soldiers.
But don't doubt the cruelty of Europeans towards these natives. Not many Europeans can truly treat the natives as human beings. It is not even an exaggeration to describe them as one in ten thousand or one in one hundred thousand.
For the vast majority of Europeans, the populations of these colonies were like cattle. They were squeezed as much as they could when they could be used, and life and death were of no concern when they were not needed.
In order to prevent the Portuguese army from panicking and escaping in a hurry before the reserve troops could successfully form an encirclement, Division Commander Fritz specifically ordered the soldiers to conduct a small-scale defense, blocking the enemy one or two hundred meters in front of the position, so that they could retain hope of capturing the position. Only then can they be temporarily dragged in front of the position.
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(End of chapter)