Chapter 161
December 16, 2020, 04:50 (China Standard Time 03:50), at the 20th Armored Division’s location, 33 kilometers northeast of Tangshan, China
The 20th Armored Division and 25th Light Armored Infantry Division had continued the offense in three shifts using its three armored brigades. They had marched 33 kilometers northeast and prepared to make the final attack according to Operation Downfall of Beijing’s plan.
“How come we are always the ones to start the battle at dawn? I am dying over here, Vehicle Commander, sir!”
Corporal Yeom Hoon-gi, the 712 tank’s driver, complained over the tank’s communication line.
“Yeah, you’re right. I am pissed as well! I am too! I wish we could fight this war after we get some sleep.”
The Turret Operator, Staff Sergeant Kim Young-joo, agreed with Corporal Yeom Hoon-gi.
“What did you just say? There’s no day or night in war, you idiots! Wake up and get ready to move out already!”
“Yes, sir, of course.”
“Staff Sergeant Kim.”
“Yes, First Class Sergeant Oh, sir.”
“Check our positive pressure device! It’s ordered by the battalion headquarters.”
“Yes, sir.”
In the dawn’s light, the K-3 tanks and K-23P Hyun-mu armored vehicles—reaching 500—rolled across the white snowy fields while emitting white steam and engine noises in preparation for mobilization. Behind them, numerous types of armored vehicles and self-propelled guns were getting ready to move as well.
A moment later, when the clock struck four, the 7th Mobile Corp Commander Lieutenant General Yang Min-choon gave the order to move out to all subordinate forces through the communication line. The K-3 tanks from the 20th Division’s 26th Armored Battalion under the 60th Brigade led the pack as it always did while roaring its engines. The march to Beijing—the finale of the Korea–China war—was about to begin.
Vrooom! Vroooom! Vrooom!
The 26th Armored Battalion that had only lost three K-3 tanks throughout the entire war moved in a horizontal formation. Its remaining 43 K-3 tanks charged forward to take the lead. The 32nd and 107th Armored Battalion followed the lead.
* * *
December 24, 2020, 05:20 (China Standard Time 04:20), 26 kilometers northeast of Miyuan County (the Capital Armored Division’s location), Beijing Province, China
The Capital Armored Division also started their southwestern march toward Beijing along narrow mountain roads instead of plains.
Since December 12, the Capital Armored Division had moved along the roads far from ideal for armored vehicles and tanks to use. They raised their speeds to head into the battle against the 15th Army Group and break through the final line of defense. The 7th Mobile Corp’s 17th Aerial Force and 171 Aerial Force’s 13 Peregrin falcon attack choppers flew at low altitudes to escort them.
Also, to prepare for the artillery strikes from China’s artillery forces, numerous anti-air armored vehicles were placed at each battalion with their radars operating round the clock to intercept any oncoming missiles or cannon rounds.
The Capital Armored Division’s forces moved along the road split in four directions stealthily and quickly.
* * *
December 24, 2020, 05:30 (China Standard Time 04:30), Feng-ning Manchu Autonomous County, the 3rd Armored Division’s location, China
The 3rd Armored Division also began its march stealthily along the roughest mountain pass the marching forces toward Beijing had gone through. The 3rd Armored Division had scouted out the splitting routes they had to take the day before the mission began. They had prepared for ambushes along the mountain pass by receiving aid from the heavy armored paratrooper brigade to wipe out the ambushing Chinese forces.
* * *
December 26, 2020, 05:30 (China Standard Time 04:30), 10 kilometers northwest of Qingdao Province, the 3rd Marine Mobile Division’s location, China
The 2nd and 3rd Marine Division, and the 6th Marine Brigade had taken over the Shandong peninsula area equaling the Southern Kyeongsang state in Korea. Among them, the 3rd Marine Mobile Division was chosen for deployment in Operation Downfall of Beijing.
The 3rd Marine Division had planned to march to the heart of Beijing 475 kilometers away by flanking around the Weipang area occupied by the 26th Army Group and take the roads along the beach.
Also, the 10th Amphibious Fleet’s 32 WAH-91SP Peregrin falcon attack choppers, 48 KUH-M50 attack choppers, and 2nd Marine Division’s 36 Magpie viper strike forces began to light up the dark skies with their red lights as they flew along with the armored division’s tanks and armored vehicles.
* * *
December 26, 2020, 09:00, B2 bunker (ROK Military Joint Command Center), Yongsan-ku, Seoul
Four hours into Operation Downfall of Beijing, Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff had each of the marching force’s location placed on a digital map and up on every screen.
The biggest change for the Korean military from this Korea–China war was having footages of each battalion’s movement livestreamed to the Joint Chief of Staff in real time.
The Command Center could check on the status of hundreds of thousands of its men they sent to the battlefield and give an appropriate order based on their particular situation, which is both critical in modern warfare. The only other nations aside from Korea with such a quick and accurate ordering system would be America and Russia. Korea was able to have a system like this for their military from the alien technology they applied to create the Turkion-X wireless communication system and Hera communication satellite.
The 20th Armored Division and 25th Light Armored Infantry Division were the first to engage in battle, fighting fiercely with the 28th Army Group at the southern great plains in Fen run.
The battle was as large as the armored battle at Sun Yang, involving thousands of tanks and armored vehicles. Also, footage of the Capital Armored Division and 3rd Armored Division fighting against the Chinese military was being fed live to the screen.
Chairman Kang Ui-sik, who had been watching the status of each battle since Operation Downfall of Beijing began, had his eyes glued on screen 5.
Screen 5 was showing footage of the Kangdong Airfield 30 kilometers away from Pyeongyang. On the huge runway, dozens of Korean transport planes were standing by in a line. Around the transporting planes, military police sent in from the air force were standing guard to not allow anyone to enter the premises. The repairmen for the transport planes were busy running around, making the final maintenance checks.
“When will the aerial and land force brigade begin boarding?”
Chairman Kang, who had been staring at screen 5, glanced at the Operations Director and asked.
“They will begin boarding at eight-thirty today, sir.”
“How about the status of the 8th Corps?”
“Yes, they have checked their personal supplies and equipment and are now standing by to board, sir.”
“All right, check on not only the aerial land forces but also the sniper brigade as well.”
“Yes, Mr. Chairman, sir!”
* * *
December 26, 2020, 10:20 (China Standard Time 09:20), X-2 underground bunker, Beijing Province, China
The Beijing Central Military Commission was in a state of emergency from the Korean military’s sudden attack. Not only did the Chinese military’s fail to detect the Korean military’s offensive move, but the rapid march north to Beijing of the 3rd Mobile Marine Division was also unexpected. Four days ago, the 12th Army Group’s Commander disobeyed the orders of the Chief of General Staff and entered into battle on personal judgment, causing them to lose Qingdao and the entire Shandong peninsula. Worst of all, the entire 12th Army’s commanding officers were taken as prisoners of war to the Korean Marines and confidential military information was now at risk of being exposed.
“How goes the battle?”
President Xi Jin Ping asked General Chiu Ji Liang Ji as he entered the meeting room full of the members of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China.
General Chiu answered the President, who did not even give him a chance to sit down first.
“The Northern defensive line being held by the 13th and 15th Army Group will not be broken easily since we have the high ground. I believe we can hold the line, sir.”
“What about the east of Beijing?”
“Three army groups are holding the eastern front, sir. With an army of that size, even Korea’s mighty 20th Division will not be able to breach our defenses, sir.”
“Three army groups? Isn’t the 65th Army Group only one in name but is only the size of a vehicle infantry division?”
The 65th Army Group had faced numerous battles at Sun Yang and Fu-xin, which had lowered their numbers. They had reorganized the remaining forces based around the 207th Vehicle Infantry Division.
“Yes, sir that is correct. But we have the 38th Army Group joining them as well.”
“I’m not losing faith, but just in case, deploy the Capital Defensive Division at their rear.”
“The Capital Defensive Division is the final defensive force for Beijing, Mr. President, sir.”
“Don’t you think I am aware of that? Wouldn’t it be better to have our forces aid those fighting outside the city rather than have them stand by and do nothing?”
General Chiu Ji Liang Ji knew that talking to President Xi Jin ping would be a waste of time. So he gave an answer that agreed with the President to cut the conversation short.
“Very well, sir. I will send in the two capital defensive divisions within Beijing to the 38th Army Group’s rear as reserves.”
“Have it done.”
General Chiu Ji Liang Ji, who finally sat down, waved at his Operations Director to start the briefing. Lieutenant General Jang ning stepped up to the podium and started the briefing on defending Beijing.
* * *
December 26, 2020, 20:55, Yongsan-ku CC bunker (tactical strike satellite Zeus 1’s Command Center), Seoul
Commander Lim Soo-ho was checking the digital clock hanging on the wall at the room’s center. The operators and staff of the Command Center were slightly excited by the fact the start of an operation that will last throughout history was about to begin here soon.
When the digital clock struck 2100h, Commander Lim Soo-ho gave the order.
“Begin the 2nd phase of Operation Downfall of Beijing. Check the list of targeted coordinates.”
“Confirming the list of coordinates.”
The Weapons Operator repeated the orders, and at the center screen, a digital map began to enhance before the enlarged targeted coordinates showed up on the map.
“Checking the first target coordinates, confirmed! Second target coordinates confirmed! Third target coordinates confirmed! Fourth target confirmed! All confirmed!”
When the Weapons Operator’s report ended, the center screen split into four and showed the confirmed targeted coordinates once again at once.
“Final targeted coordinates completed, sir.”
“Great! Stand by with Epirus missiles.”
“Epirus missiles, standing by.”
“Fire.”
“Fire!”
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The four last Epirus missiles the Zeus 1 satellite had slid out of the eight-round MLRS and began to fall toward the earth by the gravitational pull. A moment later, the missile’s thrusters ignited, once they began to spit out blue flame, it fell toward the surface at frightening speeds.
“All four Epirus missiles have been launched to the target successfully, sir. Target 1 at 26 minutes and 40 seconds before impact, Target 2 at 26 minutes and 42 seconds, Target 3 at 26 minutes 44 seconds, and Target 4 at 26 minutes 46 seconds and counting.”
* * *
December 26, 2020, 21:10, Pyeongnam Kangdong County airfield, North Korea
The red lights lined up at each side of the runway lit up and Korea’s transport planes lined up in two lines were on standby. The 8th Corp’s men had fully equipped themselves and had already began boarded the plane 40 minutes ago.
Ten minutes later, 10,000 soldiers completed boarding the 40 planes, were seated, and waited for takeoff.
Finally, when the order came from the control tower, the KC-501 transport planes at the lead started their plasma engines and moved across the runway. When the planes reached a certain speed, it raised its altitude and glided across the sky. The rest of the planes also moved across the runway and flew into the sky. Ten minutes later, dozens of transport planes were flying across the Kangdong skies. When the last set of planes finished taking off, the other planes turned their heads east then disappeared into the horizon, flying at supersonic speed.
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