Age of Conquest Reborn

Chapter 1022: A tie

Beginning on the morning of August 11, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Expedition Force to Southern China, General Terauchi Toshiichi, commanded his main force, nearly 400,000 troops, to attack the Central Army's last and only line of defense south of Chongqing.

Shanguan launched a fierce attack.--%.net

In the morning, the Japanese army used the artillery firepower of four heavy artillery brigades to launch its first ferocious bombardment on the Loushanguan defense line. Large-caliber heavy artillery shells roared and fell on the Central Army position. Black bullets appeared everywhere on the Loushanguan high ground.

Smoke balls and blown-up gravel flew in random directions, and a waist-thick tree fell to the ground amid the explosions of flying artillery shells.

Xue Yue was in the forward command post, looking at the main position that was on fire everywhere and shrouded in gunpowder smoke with a stern expression. He did not speak. He had nothing to say. The pre-war mobilization that should be done was done a few days ago.

The only thing he didn't expect was that the Japanese army would assume such a ferocious posture in their first attack.

There was not even a tentative attack, but a fierce attack. Whether the fortifications and hidden areas on the main peak could withstand the Japanese army's fierce and intensive shelling was what he was most worried about. Several large-caliber shells roared and landed.

Near the headquarters.

The hidden part covered with four to five meters of soil on the top shook violently, and it seemed that it might collapse at any time. A pile of soil fell from the ceiling with a crash, and more than a dozen shells landed closer.

The ground shook and the mountains shook. Gunpowder smoke mixed with soil and gravel suddenly rushed in from the observation hole. Several guards around Xue Yue threw him to the ground.

After two or three minutes, the smoke dissipated. Xue Yue got up angrily and growled with an unkind expression: "What are you doing? The Japanese fired a few artillery shells to scare you like this. The shells that killed me haven't even been made yet."

Here!" After saying that, he began to observe the position again. He didn't care, but he scared his guard captain half to death.

Several irregular pieces of shrapnel with ferocious edges penetrated through the lookout hole and shattered the lanterns hanging on the pillars of the concealed area. Two staff officers were hit by the shrapnel and were seriously injured. If the guards had not been alert, the commanding officers would not have been able to do so.

The top frontline commander of a hundred thousand troops would have his head chopped off by shrapnel.

A piece of shrapnel was still stuck in the side wall of the lookout hole, and it was hanging. It can be seen that the density of the Japanese artillery bombardment reached an astonishing level. Under the fire like a volcanic eruption, the lives of a general and an ordinary soldier were not affected.

What a difference.

In fact, Xue Yue was also frightened for a while. He didn't know whether it was luck or unlucky. Shrapnel could be drilled into a small lookout hole. The probability of this was very slim. Fortunately, it was fine. On the position, the soldiers squatting in the simple concealment unit

, what will happen? This is what Xue Yue is most worried about.

An hour and a half later, the Japanese artillery fire began to spread. Without looking back, Xue Yue ordered the communications director, "Immediately contact all forward positions to report casualties and prepare to meet the first Japanese attack."

The communications staff shook the phone and shouted loudly, and the communications director came over with an ugly face, "Report to the commander-in-chief, all wired connections with the front line have been interrupted." Xue Yue turned around suddenly, staring at him with fiery eyes,

He asked in a low voice: "What? Stop everything? The battle has just begun, and you want me, the commander-in-chief, to become deaf? Huh?"

The communications director trembled. He saw the murderous intent in the commander-in-chief's eyes, but he also wanted to explain, "Commander-in-Chief, the telephone lines we planted strictly followed wartime requirements. However, we did not expect the Japanese artillery fire to be like this."

Violent, so..." Xue Yue's expression softened. Yes, he didn't expect that as soon as Terauchi Shouichi came up, he took out all the heavy artillery and carried out a saturation bombardment.

All wired communications with the forward positions were interrupted. The scope of the Japanese army's shelling was so large and the intensity of the shelling was unprecedented. He waved his hand feebly and ordered: "Reply the call immediately. I want to know the specific situation at the front. I will contact you through the radio first."

The communications director, as if he had been granted amnesty, hurried down to make arrangements.

The situation at the forward position was unclear. In the headquarters, Xue Yue saw Japanese soldiers all over the mountains and plains launching a fierce charge. He took a breath of air. The Japanese were crazy. At least two divisions were involved in the first wave.

During the attack, the wild and wild shouts of Japanese soldiers were heard everywhere.

"Why don't we fire back at such a forward position? Did they all die in the Japanese shelling?" Xue Yue thought anxiously and became worried. Suddenly, dense gunfire sounded like a torrential rain. If this Loushanguan position, if

As if they had just come back to life, they fired dense bullets, and the charging Japanese soldiers fell down one after another and rolled down to the foot of the mountain under the rain of bullets as dense as locusts.

Xue Yue breathed a sigh of relief and felt weak all over. No wonder Xue Yue was worried. The Japanese charging soldiers were only a few dozen meters away from the forward position. It was quite suspenseful. It was strange. When did the Japanese army have such a force?

How to fight? Put the Japanese troops as close as possible and fire suddenly to inflict maximum damage to the enemy.

Xue Yue overestimated the combat effectiveness of the Central Army. The Japanese army's overwhelming artillery fire covered all positions in Loushanguan. The soldiers of the Central Army were stunned by the fierce shelling. Many hidden units were hit by artillery shells.

The explosion collapsed, and when the Japanese artillery fire began to spread, the Central Army soldiers emerged from the soil, and the Japanese soldiers had already rushed in front of them.

Troops that had combat experience with the Japanese army took the lead in opening fire. They moved in one place and then in another. All the positions on the Loushanguan defense line came back to life, but they were caught by surprise. Strictly speaking, the soldiers of the Central Army opened fire hastily, and the effect they achieved was,

But it was very good. At such a close distance, there was almost no need to aim. The light and heavy machine guns and head-shaking grenades beat the Japanese soldiers to their knees.

An hour later, the Japanese army's first charge was repulsed, leaving thousands of corpses behind, and they had to retreat. Then came another ferocious shelling, and then a charge, from morning to dusk, on the 11th.

Here, the Japanese army launched eight division-sized charges against the Loushanguan position.

As night fell, the evening wind blew into the battlefield filled with gunpowder smoke and the smell of blood. The Central Army's Loushanguan position had not lost an inch of ground. Xue Yue looked at the casualty figures reported by each unit and was frightened. In just one day,

The casualties reached more than 16,000 people. However, the Japanese army did not take advantage. At least more than 10,000 corpses were left in front of the position.

The Central Army was the main defender and the Japanese Army was the main attacker. It was basically a tie. This was due to the favorable terrain conditions of Loushanguan. Xue Yue shook his somewhat groggy head and said: "Order the Logistics Department to immediately transfer the wounded to the rear.

, replenishing troops, ammunition, supplies, and repairing fortifications overnight, as well as deepening and strengthening concealed areas and anti-gun holes.”

The first day passed. As long as he could hold on for three days, holding on to Loushanguan was not a big problem. Even if he delayed, he could drag down the Japanese army here. Xue Yue was secretly glad that he had a clear mind and used Loushanguan as his trump card.

Zunyi fought to the death with the Japanese army. After thinking for a while, he said to the chief of staff: "Send a report to the committee and report today's battle situation. Well, make the difficulties bigger."

In the night, the frontline troops of the Central Army were nervously carrying out supplies and building fortifications. At the same time, Juichi Terauchi was also convening a military meeting. He looked at the senior generals who were sitting at attention. His face was not very good. A day's attack had resulted in casualties.

And the result of the battle made Juichi Terauchi very angry.

At the cost of the lives of more than 10,000 Imperial Army soldiers, the Chinese government forces were not able to occupy even a single position, even if they were able to gain a few footholds on the mountainside. For Juichi Terauchi, who demanded a quick victory, it was difficult to accept this.

As a result, he glanced at the generals.

"Gentlemen, today's battle has been witnessed by everyone. What was the result? It is not ideal. Is the Chinese government army getting stronger, or is our Imperial Japanese Army getting weaker? Who can tell me?" Terauchi Shouichi said in his tone.

, asked with anger.

When the Commander-in-Chief is furious, anyone who dares to talk about this is asking for trouble. These senior Japanese generals do not quite understand how the Chinese government forces, which have been retreating all the way from Qiannan to Guiyang, can suddenly

The fight was like giving blood to a chicken, and they actually created a close combat style. In the memories of these senior Japanese military officers, the Central Army had never been so powerful. It was unbelievable.

Terauchi Touichi could not think of reprimanding the commander. He witnessed the entire battle process with his own eyes. Every unit that participated in the attack fought extremely bravely, and the intensity and duration of the artillery fire were sufficient. However, why could they not break through the Chinese government?

What about the army's position? The terrain is still unfavorable.

The terrain conditions of Loushanguan not only restricted the deployment of the imperial army, but also weakened the effect of artillery fire. Otherwise, with the density and ferocity of today's artillery bombardment, the casualties of the Chinese government forces would be astonishing. From their counterattack

Judging from the density of gunfire, no serious casualties were suffered. Damn Loushanguan, Temple Shouichi suddenly had a headache.

This kind of emotion would not be noticed by the commanders in the temple. He said fiercely: "Gentlemen, we don't have time to waste in front of Loushanguan. The intensity of the attack tomorrow will be more than doubled. All armies,

The artillery of the divisions are gathered together and unified under the command of the general headquarters. I will use steel to submerge Loushanguan, so everyone is ready to go."

Chairman Chiang Kai-shek in Chongqing has not been at peace since the start of the war at Loushanguan. Loushanguan is the last line of defense blocking the Japanese troops heading north and will surely be attacked with the most ferocity until around eight o'clock in the evening.

After receiving Xue Yue's telegram, I breathed a long sigh of relief.

"General Boling, it is not easy or simple to draw a tie with hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops," Chairman Jiang repeatedly praised. When he saw the message at the back, he frowned again. He completely believed what Xue Yue said.

Can the Japanese attack be repelled eight times with minimal casualties? There is also his concern.

"Call General Liu Xiang, Chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Government, and tell him that I am going to visit him," Chairman Chiang ordered his attendants to arrive. He could make the number one figure in the National Government condescend to visit Liu Xiang, the King of Sichuan, in person. No matter what happens,

Not too small, right?

(To be continued)