Morning over Manchuria was cold and grey.
Fog spread slowly across the plain. It hid the hills, the roads, and the positions of both armies. Only occasionally did the wind push it aside, revealing the dark shapes of Russian trenches.
Across a front that stretched for many kilometers stood an enormous army.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
Infantry.
Cavalry.
Artillery.
During the night both armies had taken their positions.
Now they waited.
The Russian trenches ran along a low ridge. The earth was wet from the damp night air. Sandbags had darkened with moisture.
Soldiers sat behind the parapets.
Some checked their rifles.
Some adjusted their ammunition belts.
Others simply stared forward into the fog.
No one spoke unnecessarily.
Everyone understood that today a great battle would begin.
Somewhere behind the line the first Russian artillery gun fired.
The deep boom rolled across the plain.
A shell passed overhead seconds later.
It disappeared into the fog ahead.
A dull explosion followed.
Another gun fired.
Then another.
Within minutes hundreds of artillery guns across the Russian line were firing.
Behind the trenches, on a small hill, stood a Russian battery with six heavy guns.
The crews worked quickly.
Soldiers carried shells from wooden crates.
The horses stood nearby under blankets.
The battery commander lowered his binoculars.
Flashes from Japanese artillery guns were already visible on the horizon.
A soldier approached.
—"Captain, more shells have arrived."
—"How many?"
—"Four crates."
The officer frowned.
—"Only four?"
—"Yes."
The captain exhaled quietly.
Six guns.
Four crates.
He shook his head.
—"Tell the supply officers this will not last even half an hour."
The soldier shrugged.
—"They say ammunition is being rationed."
The captain raised his binoculars again.
More flashes appeared across the horizon as Japanese artillery guns opened fire.
—"Then we fire carefully."
He lowered his hand.
—"Fire."
The guns fired again.
Behind the trenches smoke slowly thickened as shells exploded across the fields.
In the forward trench Slyvynskyi watched the field through binoculars.
The fog was beginning to thin.
At first he saw dark shapes.
Then movement.
Japanese infantry.
They advanced in long lines across the plain.
The soldiers moved forward in short rushes.
They ran.
Dropped to the ground.
Fired.
Then rose and ran again.
One Russian soldier whispered:
—"They're coming."
Slyvynskyi did not hurry.
He continued watching through the binoculars.
The Japanese were still far away.
He slowly raised his saber.
—"Wait."
The soldiers pressed themselves against the parapet.
The Japanese lines moved closer.
Someone asked nervously:
—"When do we fire?"
Slyvynskyi answered calmly.
—"On my command."
The distance closed.
Now the figures were clearly visible through the fog.
Slyvynskyi lowered the saber sharply.
—"Fire!"
Russian rifles thundered along the trench.
Several Japanese soldiers fell.
The others dropped immediately to the ground.
Seconds later they began moving again.
Slyvynskyi muttered quietly:
—"Stubborn."
From the left a Russian artillery battery fired again.
Heavy shells passed over the trench and exploded among the advancing soldiers.
Columns of dirt rose into the air.
But the Japanese infantry kept moving.
Behind the first line another was already advancing.
The sergeant beside Slyvynskyi said:
—"There are many of them."
Slyvynskyi raised the binoculars again.
Now it was clear.
Entire columns were advancing across the field.
—"These are only the forward units."
He lowered the binoculars.
—"Save ammunition."
At that moment a machine gun opened fire behind the trench.
A long burst cut across the field.
Several Japanese soldiers fell.
But others continued moving forward.
—"Ammo!" the gunner shouted.
A helper quickly fed a new belt.
The machine gun rattled again.
A shell exploded beside the trench.
Earth and broken boards flew into the air.
Several soldiers ducked.
One shouted as shrapnel struck his shoulder.
A medic crawled toward him.
Slyvynskyi did not even turn.
He continued watching the field.
Behind the first line of Japanese soldiers another appeared.
And behind it a third.
He spoke quietly.
—"That is already a division."
The sergeant gave a grim smile.
—"Then today will be interesting."
Slyvynskyi answered calmly.
—"Very interesting."
Several kilometers to the right stood Skoropadsky's cavalry regiment.
The regiment waited in a low valley behind a line of hills.
From there only smoke and distant flashes of explosions were visible.
The thunder of artillery rolled across the plain.
Horses stamped nervously.
The cavalrymen were silent.
Everyone listened to the sound of the battle ahead.
One officer rode up beside Skoropadsky.
—"The Japanese are attacking across the entire front."
Skoropadsky nodded slowly.
He watched the smoke rising above the hills.
—"This is only the beginning."
A messenger rode in fast.
His horse was covered in foam.
—"Message from corps headquarters."
Skoropadsky read the note quickly.
—"Japanese forces are increasing their pressure."
The officer asked:
—"Are we being sent in?"
Skoropadsky shook his head.
—"Not yet."
He kept watching the hills.
The artillery fire there was becoming heavier.
Sometimes long bursts of machine-gun fire could be heard through the thunder.
The battlefield was slowly disappearing beneath thick smoke.
The officer spoke quietly.
—"If the infantry cannot hold the line..."
Skoropadsky answered calmly.
—"Then we will go."
He continued watching the horizon.
—"But not yet."
Another heavy artillery volley rolled across the hills.
The battle had only begun.
Soon the cavalry would enter it.