Rise From Eight Hundred

Chapter 1420: Driving fish into the net

 The loud sound of "Boom, boom, boom!" could be clearly heard by Major Tominaga, not to mention the area that was under shelling, even 2 kilometers away and blocked by three hills.

That movement can only be accomplished by large-caliber artillery.

For the first time, the 150-pound force showed its sharp fangs in front of the officers and soldiers of the Japanese 39th Division. The 18-kilogram warhead left a small crater with a radius of less than one meter on the ground, but the violent shock wave it aroused was like a A hurricane swept through everything within a radius of 15 meters from the impact point.

 Those who have personally experienced it actually have no right to describe their encounter with such shelling, because most people have died in this shelling, or they were knocked unconscious in the turbulent air waves and escaped this disaster by relying on good luck.

Second Lieutenant Ryuji Saito, an observer of the Japanese artillery squadron, was one of the few survivors of the bombardment. He witnessed the occurrence and end of this huge tragedy for the 232nd Infantry Regiment on the edge of the artillery fire. the whole process.

"I don't know how the Chinese accurately positioned our artillery squadron, but that's the fact. Judging from the trajectory of the ballistics that landed less than 150 meters outside the artillery position during the initial test firing, they must have just targeted our artillery squadron. The coordinates of the selected positions were carefully calculated.

I think there must be a pair of eyes in the dense forest that have been watching us and passed the news of our existence to the Chinese’s terrifying large-caliber artillery!

I know that kind of artillery is a 150-caliber mortar that is only equipped by the Chinese infantry corps and even the army level. It is a nightmare for the infantry involved in the front line attack, but I have only heard about it, but today’s artillery shell At the moment when the valley below my hillside exploded, I finally understood how powerful it was.

It's just that I'd rather I'd never seen this kind of shell, this kind of heavy firepower that reduced most of my colleagues to ashes.

It was only one shot, and it was still a full 20 meters away from Deputy Squadron Leader Aoki, but I still saw that in the black smoke, Deputy Squadron Leader Aoki's strong body comparable to that of a bison seemed to be hit by an invisible giant hand. He flew out hard and hit the rock that had existed since ancient times.

I couldn’t hear the sound of the impact, but I could see the extremely weird body posture of Deputy Squadron Leader Aoki. His face was bent on the ground, but his toes were pointing toward the sky.

The Chinese changed their past stinginess and had an unbelievable abundance of artillery shells. The bombardment actually lasted for nearly 5 minutes. The number of artillery shells thrown into the valley was no less than 100 shells, which was enough to cover the valley with an area of ​​no more than 5,000 square meters. The artillery fire went back and forth five times.

 Except for the six members of the artillery observation team at an altitude of 200 meters, none of the imperial officers and soldiers of the artillery squadron in the valley survived! "

This is what Second Lieutenant Ryuji Saito said to reporters during an interview forty years after the war.

He described the tragic experience of his artillery squadron during the war. All equipment and artillery were wiped out due to the Chinese army's artillery attack, but he did not say many details.

For example, the remaining five members of the artillery observation team he led either lost their ears due to a huge explosion close at hand, or had their bones broken by stones and steel debris falling from the sky. However, he, a little chicken thief, was originally lucky because of his good luck. Unscathed.

Then, this poor peasant boy who had always been eager for military success and hoped to make contributions on the battlefield was annihilated by the sudden torrent of artillery fire from the Chinese soldiers. Not only was all his ideals wiped out, he was also frightened. In order to escape, he continued to fight with the Chinese in this mountainous area full of death. As the battle continued, Second Lieutenant Saito Ryuuji chose to insert a broken tree trunk into his thigh.

Except for himself, no one knows that the Chinese four 150-gun guns did not actually cause 123 deaths and 6 serious injuries in the 232nd Infantry Regiment Artillery Squadron of the 39th Division. The number 6 should have been 5. .

But Second Lieutenant Ryuuji Saito, who had an idea on the battlefield, was successful in a sense. He at least managed to sneak into the ranks of the wounded soldiers, and was escorted back to Changyang by an infantry squad and a baggage squad that afternoon. county seat.

  Second Lieutenant Ryuuji Saito was so courageous that he inadvertently resolved a life-or-death disaster. This was the wisest decision he made in his life every time he thought about it for the next forty years.

After receiving the news that the entire artillery squadron had been destroyed, George was dumbfounded. Only then did he realize how ridiculous he felt about asking for help just because his subordinates started a war. The Chinese army on the opposite side was something he had never encountered on the Chinese battlefield. The elites, from tactics to equipment, are ridiculously powerful.

The loss of 4 Type 41 mountain guns completely smashed the sharpest teeth of the 232 Infantry Regiment. The only heavy firepower he can rely on now is the 6 Type 92 infantry guns and 6 90 mm belonging to the three infantry brigades. Mortars, but in the face of several large-caliber mortars that the opponent has already displayed, these heavy firepower are obviously not enough to help the infantry capture the steep mountains.

"If this road is blocked, then take other roads!" Saji Naoe is not a stubborn person. He ordered the 1st and 2nd infantry brigades to continue to send out vanguard teams to conduct terrain reconnaissance on the surrounding mountains while suppressing his anger. Personally request air support from the division commander Murakami.

Vice Admiral Murakami, who was personally leading his troops aboard a naval destroyer and rushing to Shipai, received a telegram from his subordinates asking for help. He didn't curse and reported it to him very efficiently.

This time it was the base camp that advocated launching the Battle of Shipai. The person responsible for coordinating the cooperation between the Japanese navy and army in China was General Duo Tianjun who returned home in despair. Although this former commander of the Japanese North China Front was repeatedly humiliated on the Chinese battlefield, But at least he is the spokesperson of His Highness the Prince in the Army, and even the Navy and Mainland Chinamen who have always looked down on the Army bumpkins have to give him face.

 An hour later, 4 Zero fighter jets escorting 2 97 heavy bombers took off from Jiangxia Airport and headed straight for Paicao Mountain!

 The use of fighters and medium bombers to clear the way for an infantry regiment level is extremely rare in the Japanese army, which shows that the Japanese base camp and the Japanese China Expeditionary Forces Headquarters attach great importance to this campaign.

Two Type 97 heavy explosive aircraft dropped a total of six 250-pound aerial bombs on the mountain ridge, and four Zero fighter jets also dropped more than 12 80-pound aerial bombs, causing the mountain ridge where the 1st Platoon was located to become scorched and turbulent. The strong air waves uprooted the low shrubs covering the mountain, and the fresh yellow soil was intertwined with green and high-temperature black. From a distance, it looked like a beautiful oil painting.

For the first time, China's carefully constructed and camouflaged trenches appeared in front of the Japanese infantry hiding hundreds of meters away.

 No matter how solid the trenches are, they are not enough to stand up to the heavy aerial bombs. Visible to the naked eye, more than a dozen trenches were collapsed by the terrifying air waves.

As Second Lieutenant Saito Ryuji said, no one can survive in this kind of steel flames, not the Japanese, nor the Chinese.

 After dropping their bombs, the bombers and fighter jets were still circling at high altitude. The excited Japanese infantrymen could no longer contain their excitement. About 140 people in three infantry squads climbed up the mountain.

 As far as the area nearly 80 meters away from the Chinese position, no Chinese counterattack was seen.

This is unscientific. No matter how powerful the empire's fighter planes and aerial bombs are, it is impossible to kill all the Chinese. At least there should be sporadic gunfire, unless they are waiting for the imperial officers and soldiers to get closer so that they can use grenades. call.

Major Tominaga, who has rich combat experience, has never hated his crow brain so much. He really does whatever he thinks.

  The Chinese did not fire, but small black dots suddenly appeared on the position.

This was the perception of Major Tominaga standing at least a mile away, but to the Japanese infantrymen who were only a few dozen meters away, those things that were billowing in the air and rolling towards them were undoubtedly Represents the scythe of death.

That was a wave of more than 60 grenades. Because of their condescending position, the Chinese officers and soldiers standing in the trenches could even throw the grenades 100 meters away.

Moreover, these are grenades with extended leads, and the longest delay time can be up to 7 seconds, which is enough for the grenade to pass through a distance of 100 meters.

60 grenades formed a death net of flying shrapnel in front of the Chinese position 500 meters away. You may be able to avoid the shrapnel splashed by an exploding grenade five or six meters away by crawling, but you can't stop it if it is less than 1.5 meters away from you. The shock wave formed by the rice grenade!

 Whether you live or die, at this time, it all depends on luck. The key is, isn’t there only 60 grenades in one row?

If the Japanese infantrymen lying on the hillside shouting for the blessing of Amaterasu had a drone, they could completely overlook the Chinese soldiers in the trenches from the air and put at least 6 open-cover grenades. Pee!

According to post-war statistics, in this round alone, the 1st platoon of the mountain infantry company dropped 330 grenades, which is equivalent to 60mm mortars covering the entire battlefield for 5 minutes.

This lieutenant platoon leader who walked out of the Sihang Warehouse may have suffered from "fear of insufficient firepower" on the Songhu battlefield. He firmly believed that there was nothing that couldn't be solved with firepower. For this reason, a mountain infantry company and a light infantry company were behind him. The 1st row turned out to be heavily equipped.

Not only does each person carry an average of 8 grenades, he also carries 20% more bullets than other platoons. This of course also makes the officers and soldiers of his infantry platoon have to work harder to reach the same marching speed as other platoons. effort.

But it was all worth it. It carried more ammunition than other infantry platoons. In this daytime blocking battle, the 1st platoon killed more than 200 Japanese infantry on the frontal battlefield with 5 casualties and 8 wounded. If Including those who were injured, this number has to be doubled.

Three of the five soldiers from the 1st Platoon died in the battle because heavy aerial bombs dropped by Japanese planes collapsed an air raid shelter and died of suffocation.

Although the preparation time was only 6 days, the 1st Platoon still made it to the end, using its fortification construction capabilities that were not inferior to those of a field infantry company to dig out 8 qualified air-raid shelters on the mountains.

The top of the air-raid shelter located behind the trench is 3 meters thick. As long as it is not hit by a heavy aerial bomb, there is basically no risk of being penetrated.

But on the battlefield, there are always people who are unlucky. The No. 3 air raid shelter was hit by a 250-pound bomb during the bombing by Japanese planes. Although it did not hit the top of the air raid shelter, the terrible explosion, which was only 5 meters away, still hit the air raid shelter. The air-raid shelter collapsed.

There was a machine gun team and 6 infantrymen hiding in the air-raid shelter, all of which were buried. The lieutenant platoon leader immediately led people to dig out and rescue after the Japanese air raid. However, in just a few minutes, 3 people died, and 5 others died. Lucky to be alive.

The officers and soldiers of the 1st platoon who lost their comrades vented their anger on the Japanese infantry who attacked again. Not only did they smash grenades desperately, but the four MG42 machine guns once again shot out two ammunition belts each at any cost.

Even after the few remaining 92 heavy machine guns of the Japanese army began to cover fire, the two MG42s simply turned their guns and began to shoot at the Japanese heavy machine guns.

Even though the 92 heavy machine gun has a more stable tripod, the MG42, which only has a bipod, can completely misfire a 92 heavy machine gun with a rate of fire that is nearly double its rate of fire.

This wave of fighting lasted for a full 20 minutes. In the end, Major Tominaga, who gradually calmed down, decisively ordered a retreat and did not continue to expand in scale.

 It’s not that Tominaga is not tough enough, but that he no longer has any reserves. On this day, his 3rd Infantry Group had more than 260 killed and more than 200 wounded, basically losing its ability to continue combat.

 Besides, the alliance still has two brigades, the 1st and 2nd! He is the most elite person in the alliance, but he is not the most stupid boy in the alliance. How can he spend all his money?

The Japanese stopped attacking, so the 1st Platoon naturally stopped fighting. Their task was to draw a horizontal line here to tell the Japanese that this road was impassable and that they could survive if they wanted to cross over.

Saji Naokage didn't expect any good news this afternoon. The 3rd Infantry Battalion suffered heavy losses due to the head iron. The vanguard team sent by the 1st and 2nd Infantry Battalion detoured nearly 10 kilometers to the right side of the card slot, but could not find a way. The army's path through this mountain range.

All possible roads for people and animals to pass through were fortified by the Chinese. The attempt to get through here without any bloodshed was completely in vain.

It was not until the evening that Saji Naokage received good news. There was no Chinese defensive position around the seemingly most dangerous card slot.

A 15-man vanguard squad quietly climbed up the canyon passage that could be used by the army. Perhaps the Chinese's empty city strategy was too big. There were no Chinese in the surrounding two miles.

However, it took 15 infantrymen carrying only guns more than two hours to cross the numerous ridges. It was almost impossible for the army carrying packhorses and other supplies to climb over like them.

“Your Excellency, Commander of the Regiment, then we can send one or two infantry squadrons to establish positions on the ridge with light equipment to protect the main force of the Regiment from passing through that passage.” The captain of the 1st Infantry Battalion suggested with his eyes brightening.

Having seen the tragic situation of the 3rd Infantry Group, the Japanese Army Major really didn’t want his 1st Infantry Group to make the same mistake again, so passing was the best option.

"But, Mr. Qiandao, have you ever thought that the Chinese did not defend this important passage, but deployed defenses in areas where the march is more difficult and dangerous? As the saying goes, there must be monsters when things go wrong. I personally think that is inappropriate!" His face was gloomy. Major Tominaga immediately spoke out against it.

 This involves both rational judgment and rebellious thinking.

If the main force of the regiment passed smoothly like this, what would be the loss of the 3rd Infantry Group today? Stupid or blind?

"Haha! Mr. Yong Yi, that's because you don't understand the Chinese. The Chinese have always worshiped their ancient military **** Sun Bin, and are especially superstitious about the so-called Thirty-six Stratagems. The so-called Suspicious Soldiers Strategy is just like this. They judge that our troops will never do anything. If they dare to take risks and pass through that naturally dangerous passage, using limited troops in the mountains will be more conducive to their task of blocking our troops' advance.

I think it’s not that they don’t have people stationed, but they are only in small numbers. I suggest that before our troops pass, our air fighters can drop incendiary bombs on the high mountains to clear out possible enemies, and then enter with infantry. Even if China Anyone who wants to attack our troops from a height can only be a fantasy. "The captain of the 1st Infantry Battalion smiled and talked.

"Moreover, as a precaution, we can even let only one infantry squadron enter first to explore the path for the entire army. Only if they pass through the passage safely and establish a blocking position at the exit of the passage will all our main forces enter."

"Yo Xi! Qiandao-kun's suggestion is good! Qiandao-kun is in charge. Tonight, we will draw up a marching plan according to Qiandao-kun's suggestion. At 7 o'clock tomorrow morning, we will begin to test the passage area." Saji Naoe's gloomy face finally showed some signs of relief. A smile appeared.

The most dangerous thing in the passage is the one above your head. Let alone grenades and explosive packets dropped from a height of 100 meters, even a stone can kill a person. As long as the threat above your head is removed, what else is there? Scary?

In the dark night, about 300 Japanese infantrymen worked tirelessly to climb the peak and huddled in the cold bushes to protect the main force of the regiment that would march there tomorrow.

At 6:30 in the morning, when the sky was still dark, three Japanese infantry squads entered the passage quietly with flashlights on. The eerie passage made their eyes only stay on the mountain wall for a short time before focusing on the ground. Yes, that was to prevent the Chinese from laying landmines and explosives.

After more than an hour of searching, 150 Japanese infantrymen successfully passed through the passage and established a blocking position at the entrance of the valley.

"Yo Xi, all troops, according to the march plan, enter the passage in an orderly manner and pass quickly!" Facing the rising sun, Colonel Naokage breathed a sigh of relief after receiving two messages from the Japanese troops on the top of the mountain and at the end of the passage. .

 This should be the worst choice that Colonel Naokage made in his life, because after he stepped into that dark passage under the protection of the guards, he had no chance to make other choices.