Chapter 1193 The Final Battle (3)
Tanks, as the king of land warfare, are very powerful when they charge in groups. If there is no resistance, the momentum alone will crush the infantry from the spirit.
Some deserters appeared in the joint forces because they were crushed.
In the air, the fighters and armed helicopters of the joint forces were providing support.
Advanced fighters and armed helicopters have very advanced night combat capabilities.
Although the Iraqi air force is small in number, it still fights with the enemy, and at the same time cooperates with the air defense forces to support the air defense force of the entire battlefield, thus ensuring that Iraq's tank armored forces are not used as targets.
Fighters and armed helicopters dropped bombs, missiles, and rockets to blow up Iraq's tank armor.
But in the same way, fighters and armed helicopters were constantly shot down in the sky.
Or they exploded in the air and turned into a ball of sparks, and the pilots didn't even have a parachute to destroy them; or they kept falling to the ground with billowing smoke, and the pilots parachuted to escape, leaving the plane to fall to the ground and explode.
The whole of Iraq was in flames.
The decisive battle in the northern theater was in full swing, and Iraq's rear cities and transportation lines were facing attacks from the joint forces.
In 24 hours, the joint forces launched a total of 332 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
In addition, there were more than 1,000 ground-to-ground missiles and air-to-ground bombs. The air force of the joint forces dropped thousands of anti-tank missiles, more than 800 air-to-ground missiles, and a large number of precision-guided bombs, napalm bombs, and ordinary bombs.
This was both a form of retaliation and a way to weaken Iraq's war potential.
As for human rights and war rules, Americans have never followed them since the outbreak of the Afghan War, or the Kosovo War, or the first overseas war, the Libyan War, or even the earlier Vietnam War.
Europeans and Americans have set up rules and regulations, not to restrict themselves, but to restrict other countries.
But they don't think about it. If they don't follow them themselves, why would other countries that are beaten follow them?
On this day, air defense alarms continued to sound in various cities in Iraq. In many cities, people stayed in basements and air-raid shelters all day.
The intensity of the decisive battle between the two sides shocked the world.
No one expected that such a large-scale and tragic war would break out in modern warfare.
This battle between the two sides was the largest battle since World War II, and also the largest tank battle and armored battle!
At 10 o'clock, the Type 59, Type 59 modified and Soviet-equipped troops withdrew from the battlefield, and were replaced by new equipment troops such as the Type 80 main battle tank.
The hot weather made the joint forces unable to bear it at 1 o'clock in the afternoon.
It was really too hot!
The high temperature of 44℃ was too hot without clothes, not to mention wearing military uniforms, bulletproof vests and bulletproof helmets.
In addition, hiding in trenches and buildings was even hotter, and the sand was extremely hot.
The front-line troops had to retreat.
When night fell, the coalition forces had been forced to withdraw to the area of Dahuk and Tell Abu Zaher.
The battle line in this area is 90 kilometers long.
The coalition forces sent 50,000 Kurdish armed forces to fight in the Kurdish mountains to guard against Iraqi troops in the Kurdish mountains.
Once this front line is lost again, the coalition forces can only retreat to the Feshchabur Mountain defense line.
Soldiers who fell ill due to high temperatures were transported to Turkey and Europe by armed transport helicopters and strategic transport aircraft.
There were also medical vehicles and transport trucks transporting these sick soldiers away.
In two days, the coalition forces suffered 80,000 non-combat casualties in the high-temperature battle!
Relying on mines, trenches, and air strikes, the Iraqi armored forces could not quickly pursue, otherwise many soldiers of the coalition forces would probably be killed or captured.
"Confused!"
"Saddam actually agreed to peace talks, and he still had illusions about the United States!"
When Liu Tao got the news, he couldn't help shaking his head.
With its unique tactics, or the high temperature unique to the Middle East, Iraq caught the coalition forces off guard.
It caused heavy losses to the coalition forces, and the defense line was constantly retreating. In this case, it was the coalition forces that were driven out of Iraq in one go.
But after the United States showed goodwill, Saddam actually agreed to hold peace talks.
The two sides held a peace talks meeting in Athens, Greece.
In Liu Tao's opinion, this was the Americans delaying time to build a perfect defense position and wait for the hot weather to pass.
The Americans were delaying time, but Saddam actually agreed.
In Liu Tao's opinion, if a peace talks meeting is to be held, it should be held after the Iraqi army drives the coalition forces out of Iraq.
Li Fuguo said: "According to the latest intelligence, Iraq's air defense weapons have been used up, and self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, SAM missile launchers, and Aegis launchers have all retreated. Saddam was reluctant to ignite the oil and gas fields until the last moment."
"Haha, Iraq can't win this war!" Liu Tao shook his head and said: "Oil and gas fields are ignited, and the fire can be put out after the joint forces are driven out. If the war is lost, Iraq will have nothing!"
In war, unless both sides are exhausted and can't push the front line, they will really negotiate.
Otherwise, even if a peace negotiation meeting is held, if one side puts forward harsh conditions and the other side disagrees, what can be negotiated?
What cannot be obtained on the battlefield, it cannot be obtained at the negotiation table.
This principle is so simple, but Saddam could not see it clearly.
"Iraq suffered heavy losses, and Saddam should have been scared. He hopes to end the war and avoid greater losses." Li Fuguo said.
Iraq's losses are not only heavy losses on the battlefield, but also huge losses from air strikes and bombings by the joint forces.
So far, the trauma of the outbreak of the Iraq War on Iraq has exceeded that of the Gulf War.
"Iraq suffered heavy losses, and the joint forces also suffered heavy losses. As the saying goes, the first blow will weaken the second and the third will be exhausted!" Liu Tao sighed, "If the battlefield is dragged to late October or even November, Iraq will have no chance!"
The Americans' strikes on the borders of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iraq and Syria and Iraq are unprecedented, and it is more difficult for Iraq to obtain weapons, ammunition and supplies from the outside.
Even Russia has been cut off from land routes, and air routes have been greatly restricted.
The joint forces, however, can purchase supplies from all over the world, and weapons and ammunition from Europe and the United States can be continuously transported to the battlefield.
The balance of power between the two sides will lean more towards the joint forces as time goes on.
Besides, without the help of weather, can the Iraqi army defeat the joint forces?
Difficult!
Too difficult!
Li Fuguo also shook his head. They also analyzed the intentions of the Americans and felt that Iraq was crazy to choose to accept peace talks at this time.
But there is no way, Iraq is a sovereign country, and they can do whatever they want. (End of this chapter)
