Rise From Eight Hundred

Masakichi Yamada never thought that one day he would be in such an embarrassing situation!

Since receiving the battle report that the 232nd Infantry Regiment was nearly wiped out, as the de facto second-in-command of the 39th Division, Yamada Masakichi knew that he must not make any mistakes, otherwise the 39th Division would be defeated in the battle of Zaoyi last year. The great glory gained will also be wiped out.

Therefore, he was more cautious than ever before. Even though the division commander who was in command on the warship repeatedly sent messages to urge him, he still waited for three days until the artillery wing and navy fighter planes concentrated fire and blasted the mountainous area opposite into scorched earth. Only then did more than 1,500 soldiers be deployed to attack China's important highlands.

In his tactical plan, the Chinese side, which cannot withstand the pressure, will definitely reveal their trump card and expose key firepower points that were not detected in the early stage.

It may not be possible to defeat the enemy at once, but it can lay the foundation for the second wave of attacks. If nothing unexpected happens, conquering the current line of defense in two days is already the limit of what the Chinese can resist.

All the tactics he had planned in the early stage were realized as he expected. The Chinese were indeed very tenacious. Under such a fierce bombing, they still survived in large numbers and put up effective resistance. They also revealed their final trump card as expected.

It's just that this trump card is a bit too powerful, so powerful that even he, the second-largest figure in the 39th Division, who commands nearly ten thousand troops, can't bear it.

It doesn’t matter whether the Chinese have artillery or anti-aircraft guns. After all, this is also the defense area of ​​the legendary 18th Army of China’s five elite infantry armies. Only some artillery proves that they live up to their reputation, right?

 But can you believe that the Chinese actually built tanks in such a poor place where people have difficulty walking? Looking at the tens of thousands of imperial troops who have entered this battlefield, there is not a single one like this.

It’s not that the Imperial Division lacks tanks, but that after early reconnaissance and analysis of the terrain, senior headquarters believe that dispatching tanks to march here is time-consuming, laborious, and of no tactical help.

In fact, through the past few days of marching in the mountains, the Artillery Regiment's Type 41 mountain guns that can be dismantled and transported with the help of pack horses have given Yamada Masaki a headache. More than a dozen pack horses were overwhelmed by the terrain. Complex broke his leg. If a big guy like the Type 89 tank came here, a road would have to be built for it. It would have been a long time since he arrived at the battlefield.

It can only be said that a few days ago, His Excellency Commander Yokoyama Isamu was still considered an extremely wise little sweetheart in the heart of Yamada Masakichi. Now facing the Chinese tanks appearing on the battlefield, it is really true to say that Yokoyama Isamu is Mrs. Niu. Colonel Yamada Masakichi's personal accomplishments are very good.

In the past, Yamada Masaki would never have sacrificed the lives of precious imperial officers and soldiers to fill this big hole. However, the casualty figures reported by the three infantry brigades and the previous defeat of the 232nd Infantry Regiment have not yet reached the center of Shipai. On the edge of the defensive zone, nearly 4,000 officers and soldiers of the 39th Division were killed.

 This terrifying number made the Japanese army commander, who sat there in silence for a long time, know that he actually had no other choice.

 Other than a strong attack, other than breaking through this line of defense, he has no way to retreat!

However, Yamada Masakichi finally chose to send a telegram to the division commander Murakami Kisaku. He did not seek tactical guidance. He only informed him that nearly an infantry brigade had been damaged in the first round of the attack and that the Chinese tanks were currently present. Quantity, and said that it is not ruled out that the Chinese defenders will have more tanks.

This can be considered the cleverness of Yamada Masakichi. He handed over the decision-making power to the division commander. In the future, no matter whether he wins or loses or the battle losses are too large, it will be Murakami who takes the blame. He is only the executor and not the decision-maker. By.

"This battle is related to the empire's global strategic decision-making and the future of our empire. The division has decided to implement the military orders of the base camp, the China Dispatch Army Headquarters, and the 11th Army Headquarters. All officers and soldiers of our 39th Division should move forward bravely to defeat the enemy in front of them. My duty!" Murakami sent such a lofty message 20 minutes later.

This message, which was sealed by the 39th Division Regiment Headquarters, was also considered by various military scholars in the future to be the most important factor that caused the 231st Infantry Regiment to become the most fertile prey after the Fourth Line Regiment arrived in central China.

Murakami was actually very flexible. The information he obtained from Yamada Masakichi, a capable subordinate, was enough for him to judge that the Chinese defenders faced by the 231st Infantry Regiment were extremely strong and would suffer heavy losses under a strong attack.

But like Yamada Masakichi, the Japanese Army Lieutenant General also had no choice. The commander of the 11th Army, Yokoyama Isamu, had been laying the groundwork for half a year in order to conquer Shipai, and he did not hesitate to use 150,000 people to launch the Zaoyi Battle to conquer Yiling. , and did not hesitate to spend a lot of manpower and material resources to launch the Battle of Western Hubei so that the imperial army could attack the core defense area of ​​Shipai from all sides. How could the 231st Infantry Regiment surrender and retreat just because the opponent's tanks appeared?

In addition, the 232nd Infantry Regiment was defeated. For the sake of his own future, Murakami had to take a gamble. As long as Shipai could be conquered as scheduled, victory would be able to cover up all the ugliness. No matter how heavy the casualties were, they would not be able to survive in the face of victory. It will only become a string of numbers sealed in the Imperial Army's base camp, and he, the division commander, will only rise to great heights under the aura of victory.

What's more, he also brought the base camp, the China Expeditionary Forces Headquarters and the 11th Army Headquarters with him. Anyone who dares to hold him accountable must first ask the big guys who are leading all this.

  Anyway, just throw the pot up.

 Murakami’s decision seems perfect on many battlefields. If he loses, it is the imperial soldier who dies, and it is the commander-in-chief who bears the responsibility; if he wins, it is the imperial soldier who dies, and he, the commander, inherits the glory of victory.

But his cleverness was in the wrong place, because he did not know the number of the defenders on the opposite side, which was the Si Xing Regiment, a Chinese heroic regiment that defeated three general commanders in a row on the North China battlefield.

Of course, maybe even if he knew that the defenders were the Four Troops, the probability that Murakami would make a gamble for his own future would be more than 80%.

 After all, the reputation of the Si Xing Regiment is mainly in the North China battlefield. The 39th Division has never touched it. You can't be scared away when you hear their serial number! That's not something that the Imperial Japanese Army can do. Even if it's the Americans whose industrial strength has been ahead of Japan for decades, the top brass of the Japanese military are planning **** them, aren't they?

 So, January 21, 1941, a small year in southern China!

Under the extremely tough military orders of Colonel Yamada Masakichi, the three infantry brigades, which suffered heavy battle losses, rested for half a day and replenished the missing personnel with heavy supplies.

Around 4 o'clock in the afternoon, nearly 11 infantry squadrons were deployed, 3 brigades were heavy machine gun squadrons, 3 brigades were artillery squads, 1 artillery squadron directly under the wing headquarters, and 1 artillery battalion 12 mountain guns of the artillery wing, a total of infantry More than 2,200 people, 31 heavy machine guns, 10 infantry guns, 10 mortars, and 16 mountain guns launched an attack on 7 highlands in Zhujiaping.

The artillery mentioned here is not the artillery bombardment launched before the infantry attack, but the artillery that can provide fire support within 10 minutes when the front-line infantry encounters heavy firepower from the defenders during the attack.

This can be considered the limit of the reaction speed of the Japanese artillery, mainly due to communication problems!

But for this era, this is already an exaggeration. You have a heavy machine gun firepower point with a strong enough bunker and you are trying your best to suppress the opponent. As a result, in less than 10 minutes, the artillery is overwhelming, blowing the machine gun and shooter into parts.

Without the fire suppression of heavy machine guns, we can only rely on single-shot rifles in the hands of infantry. Under the constant charge of the opponent's superior forces, we have to ask how many troops can withstand it.

 Fortunately, this is the Si Xing Group.

Not only were the fortifications built strong enough, but for example, the machine gun bunkers that Bai Sheng assigned to each battalion's engineer companies assisted in building them. Unless they were particularly unlucky and were shrapnel drilled into the bunkers, a 70mm infantry cannon that could destroy a fortification with one shot would be destroyed here. Basically, all efforts are in vain, and they may be counter-killed by various mortars that have been staring at them.

Furthermore, the individual weapons issued by the infantry squad of the Fourth Line Regiment are Czech semi-automatic rifles and submachine guns, coupled with the light machine gun MG42 for duty. The thing they are least afraid of is the intensive assault of infantry, which is the Pure Life Harvester.

There were many highlands that were ignored at all when the Japanese infantry continued to advance. At most, they sent precision shooters to shoot and kill the exposed Japanese officers, grenadiers, and light machine gunners. Basically, they waited until the Japanese infantry entered. At the 100-meter red line, crazy firepower output begins.

Regardless of the Japanese infantry's proficiency in individual tactics, all of them are masters of shooting. They can hit a watermelon at a distance of 300 meters. They are all scum in front of a fire net composed of submachine guns that can shoot out more than a dozen rounds of bullets. Scum.

As long as you lie down, your chance of survival is still greater than 80%. If you continue to push forward, your chance of death will be greater than 80%.

I have to say that a B division like the 39th Division can become an elite division in the 11th Army, and its infantry fighting will is remarkable.

The 3rd Battalion had fought against many Japanese divisions, but those like the 39th Division, which crawled from 200 meters away under a hail of bullets, and managed to climb to 70 meters in front of the first-line trenches, would never have more than 3, using Boss Cao. According to the statement, it is at least as good as the 20th Division during the Jindong War.

Although he used the hidden Xiaoqiang tanks to catch the Japanese army off guard and kill three hundred Japanese invaders in the first battle, the victorious Boss Cao never underestimated his opponent.

Because, he will not forget the battle on the high ground where the 4th squadron almost suffered all casualties. The Japanese corpses in front of the position could be built into a high wall, but the Japanese army was still not afraid of the violent charge of death. This led to The loss of part of the defense line on the high ground.

 That is also based on the fact that they have superior terrain, solid fortifications, leading weapons and equipment, and sufficient ammunition storage. The Japanese troops attacking Highland 13 were replenished and reached the size of two infantry squadrons again, still under the personal command of Major Yoshizo Sano.

In fact, the Japanese army did not invest many troops on the two flanks of Highland 13, because not far from Highland 13 are Highlands 11 and 14. As long as a machine gun is placed, they can attack the high ground from the ridge line. The attacking Japanese infantry formed a crossfire, which was really fatal to the infantry.

  Sano Yoshizo, who had gathered enough strength, threw nearly 280 Japanese infantry on the frontal battlefield in one breath, forming 6 skirmisher lines on a battlefield with a depth of only 360 meters, with approximately 50 infantrymen in each line.

This is a typical wave attack, relying on a continuous assault of soldiers, which exhausted the Chinese defenders on the position and was ultimately defeated by their superior strength.

 At last, we can also engage in a war of attrition with China.

The Japanese army’s intelligence system was not perfect. They stole intelligence from the Chinese side in the afternoon of the 21st. The defenders on the left flank of the 11th Division of the 18th Army were no more than an infantry regiment. This was also the reason why Yamada Masakichi started a frantic attack mode in the afternoon. one.

A standard Chinese infantry regiment only has more than 2,500 troops, and even a strengthened regiment only has 3,000 troops. The fighting on Niuchangpo has already been in full swing, and the Yegou detachment has successively invested thousands of infantry. The Chinese still have not retreated, and the defenders will never retreat. If it is lower than 1,500, it means that Zhujiaping will not exceed 1,500.

 With 5,000 infantry VS 1,500, even if it is 3 for 1, the Chinese can be replaced. This is the plan of the Japanese officers at all levels who are ready to fight.

Judging from the current infantry strength alone, there is nothing wrong with Yamada Masakichi’s idea. The 3rd Battalion currently only has more than 900 infantrymen, and some of them are reserve units and have not been on the front line. For example, there are only 33 people on Highland 13 at full capacity. .

In the last round of combat, the 14 infantrymen who followed Boss Cao's attack were not intact. Four of them were injured by the bullets fired back by the Japanese army, and two of them were seriously injured. If they had not received proper first aid, they might have died on the spot.

The total force currently invested by the Japanese Army Major alone is 10 times that of the defenders on the highlands. 10 for 1 can completely replace the two infantry squads on the highlands.

It’s just that Boss Cao, who doesn’t use any surprise attacks or counterattacks, is not a good bird. Two years of battlefield experience has turned him from a super bombardier with only reckless strength to an uncle fox.

 No, the first wave of Japanese who crawled on turtles were severely beaten.

Second Lieutenant Akiko Kawakami was a key candidate for military training with high hopes from the Kawakami family, a well-known tailor shop in Hiroshima. Since entering China, he has been extremely brave and was promoted from Cao Commander to Second Lieutenant Squad Leader after his meritorious service after the Zaoyi Battle.

  If he makes another military exploit, it is very likely to change the family's status in Hiroshima County. No matter who mentions the Kawakami family again, they will not add the word "tailor" in front of them.

Therefore, when Mr. Sano issued the military order, Lieutenant Kawakami was extremely determined to lead his own infantry squad as the vanguard of the entire army.

Before entering the battlefield, Second Lieutenant Akiku Kawakami felt a surge in his heart.

“Come back alive, the brigade and division need warriors like you!” His Excellency Major Sano, who was usually extremely serious, patted his shoulder and whispered tenderly.

Second Lieutenant Kawakami has made up his mind that even if he dies in battle, he will repay the kindness of the Major.

So, his wish was fulfilled, 60 meters before arriving at the Chinese front line trench.

However, poor Lieutenant Kawakami was not killed by a bullet, but by a metal thorn half buried in the soil.

The two machine guns of the Chinese are really terrifying. When they make a "puff" sound similar to tearing cloth, no matter which wave of Japanese soldiers they are, they can't help but tense up.

Second Lieutenant Kawakami, who had just completed a leap with strong waist and abdominal strength and advanced two or three meters, felt the dust on the ground beside him until he was targeted by the Chinese machine gunner.

 So, the Japanese army second lieutenant, who was brave enough and physically strong, held a rifle and rolled over continuously, dodging to a crater five meters away from his side.

 He succeeded and rolled into the one-meter-deep pit that was supposed to be caused by an aerial bomb.

But before he could be happy, the poor second lieutenant felt a stabbing pain in his chest. When he lowered his head and looked, the second lieutenant's eyes widened. It was a triangular nail with three spikes, one of which was pierced on his left chest.

The other two exposed spikes on the body surface that were covered in dust and looked gray were six centimeters long!

 “Baga!” the second lieutenant roared angrily, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

That means that the sharp thorn embedded in his body has penetrated into the pericardium and pierced the cardiac artery.

It only took less than 10 seconds for Kawakami Akiku, who was able to climb up the four-meter trench with bare hands, to have never felt so weak. Let alone move his once strong body, he did not even have the strength to call out to the medics.

“The Chinese are so insidious!” Second Lieutenant Kawakami, who was lying on his back with blood constantly flowing from the corners of his mouth and nostrils, could only express his helplessness on walking onto the Naihe Bridge with such a trace of resentment before his consciousness sank into the dark abyss.

 A small triangular nail quietly took away the life of Sano Yoshizo's bravest infantry squad leader.

Second Lieutenant Aki Kawakami was the first victim of the triangle nails, but he was by no means the last.

 Because, after the last round of counterattack, Boss Cao ordered hundreds of triangular nails to be thrown in front of the frontline trenches.

There is no pattern to this. Even if there is a pattern, under the Japanese army's artillery fire preparation for another hour, even the gods don't know where these triangular nails have been swept away by the air waves.

 Nearly 6 centimeters long steel nails, when stepped on, the entire sole of the foot will be pierced. If the body is thrown forward, it can be pierced into the internal organs. If unfortunately your face hits it, congratulations, you no longer have to worry about your IQ shortcomings.

Who can call a fool a fool?

Of course, it is something to be thankful for after suffering such an injury on the battlefield and still becoming a fool!

Screams came one after another, but soon, these screams basically disappeared. It was not that these Japanese infantry were tough enough to grit their teeth and persevere, but that after being exposed due to extreme pain, they were basically killed by the bullets that came from the sound. .

 The Japanese troops below were agitated!

“Order, continue to advance, throw grenades in the 30-meter area, and then the whole army charges! The empire will win!” Sano Yoshizo, who watched the constant death of his own infantry in front through the telescope, had a cold face and was not moved at all.

On Highland No. 13, three long gun barrels were already in place behind the camouflaged shooting holes.

 Because the Xiaoqiang tank has already used surprise to attack once, and it will never be effective like before.

Boss Cao has reason to believe that the Japanese army has deployed at least 4 infantry guns and is waiting for the tanks to appear in the dense forest on the opposite side. The 70mm infantry guns may not be able to destroy the machine gun bunker with three layers of protection, but the 10mm armor of the TKS tank is in this kind of situation. It will be extremely vulnerable to artillery.

Therefore, the three TKS tanks became fixed turrets this time and were placed at a height of nearly 60 meters away from the first-line trenches. There were three layers of sandbags, steel plates, and rocks in front for protection, and there was a **** specifically for evacuation in the back. The Japanese army used mountain artillery to cover the special evacuation channel during shelling.

 Fire suppression is handed over to two MG42 machine guns. The three 20mm machine guns hidden behind the fortifications will serve as the most ferocious fixed firepower point on Highland 13 when dealing with Japanese onboard charges! (End of chapter)