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146 THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR
broad front, and step by step, without neglecting
the least of the defence works, without stop-
ping or hesitating before the most formidable
obstacles.
So long as It had been a question of taking
Port Arthur by direct assault, it was undoubtedly,
as I have tried to make clear, the best plan to
strike at the Panlung forts and Wantai. The
very vigorous resistance which the Japanese had
met with here made it less certain that this was
the best point for breaking through during a
regular siege ;
it might be more worth while to
make attempts in other directions. In any case,
if the eastern section of fortifications was to
remain the principal tactical object, it would be
necessary to direct the attack against all of those
forts which could take a more effective part in the
defence of this zone. General Nogi therefore
decided to open up saps against all the enceinte
forts along the northern front of the section, from
Sungshuh to East Kikuan, both inclusive. Before
any sapping operations could be commenced
against the western flank of these positions, it was,
however, necessary to drive the Russians out
from their advanced positions in the Shuishi valley
which barred the way against an advance on
Sungshuh, Erhlung, and Hachimaki-Yama. The
strongest of these advance works were Lungyen
redoubt and the Shuishi lunettes.
In order to occupy the attention of the enemy in
other directions, and so prevent him from massing
the bulk of his forces in the eastern section, and
undoubtedly also in order to ascertain if an
advance along either the Siuchiatun valley or the
western plateau were easier routes than the first
chosen. General Nogi decided to attack the two
positions on the Metre range which in either of
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