On the ground, two valleys and several peaks were blown up by bombs dropped by Japanese planes, causing the sky to burst into flames and thick smoke.
Even Yamashita, which is several kilometers away, can see thick black smoke through telescopes.
But Yamashita and the Japanese troops on the ground were not happy at all, because the huge aircraft formations originally hovering in the sky were sparse to the naked eye.
Like a group of birds mourning their companions, they did not even dare to approach the area where their companions' corpses were. They circled in the sky several kilometers away from the battlefield and at an altitude of at least 2,000 meters, then turned around and left.
"The Army Aviation cannot be trusted, nor can the 108th Division. The future of the Second Mixed Brigade must depend on all of you." Yamashita, who looked a little ugly, did not curse loudly, but gently put down the telescope in his hand and looked at the people beside him.
Young leftists.
Although his tone was calm, the Japanese officers who observed carefully at the scene could still tell from his slightly trembling hands holding the telescope that their own Major General Brigade Commander was not as calm as he showed on his face.
Really, those guys in the Army Aviation Group are so stupid. Even if they didn't destroy the Chinese artillery positions, the key point is that they were still attacked by the Chinese under the eyes of thousands of imperial officers and soldiers, and they were still a gang.
Like a kick in the crotch, half of the 24 fighter planes were killed in the blink of an eye. What a huge blow to the already low morale, do those idiots know?
Morale is a mysterious thing, but it exists. When the morale is high enough, one person can be used as two people. A cat can roar like a tiger. But when the morale is low, the combat power can be 100% of the previous level.
Fifty is pretty good.
Looking at their last hope and being beaten severely by their opponents, the morale of the Japanese infantry, which was already trapped and failed to attack yesterday evening, is almost destined to decline again. What's more terrible is that the Chinese also used this battle in an almost show-off manner.
showed off his fangs and sharp teeth.
The anti-aircraft artillery displayed by it, not to mention ordinary Japanese soldiers, even senior officers like them, could not help but be frightened by it.
If the Chinese move these anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns to the frontal battlefield, what kind of destructive power will they have?
What is crow brain?
By the afternoon, a Japanese soldier really wanted to bump into the shell box.
It really comes as no surprise that the Chinese actually brought such terrifying things as machine guns to the frontline battlefield.
Moreover, before entering the front-line battlefield, they built fortifications that were strong enough that even infantry artillery could not blast them open.
What's terrible is that the Chinese also secretly moved the heavy mortars forward, because after the infantry artillery that wanted to kill the opponent exposed its position, it was bombarded by five or six consecutive artillery shells and blew up into the sky.
The heavy body of the 220-kilogram 92 Infantry Cannon usually requires three packhorses and camels, but in front of the projectiles fired by such a large-caliber mortar, it was like a small bamboo pole.
The Japanese soldier, Zuo Zuo, watched helplessly as a 92 infantry gun was rolled up by the air wave to a height of five or six meters, and then smashed into a trench, killing five imperial artillerymen who were curled up to avoid the shells.
Meat paste.
Of course, the reason why the Chinese moved their anti-aircraft guns to the flat ground was because the army aviation of the front army, which had been severely hit, was trying to make a last-ditch effort.
It is true that if as many as 8,000 Imperial officers and soldiers were eaten by the Chinese, it would cause a heavy blow to the honor of the front army and even the entire Imperial Army.
The battle at Taierzhuang resulted in 20,000 imperial officers and soldiers being lost. It was a large-scale battle in which both sides invested more than 800,000 troops. The figure of 20,000 compared to the nearly one million troops invested could at least defeat the uninformed people.
However, in the Battle of Southeast Shanxi, both sides invested a huge amount of 200,000 yuan, but it was just a small battle, and a full-fledged brigade was eaten in one bite. Even a fool can't figure it out.
The last twelve fighter planes in Yuancheng were briefly renovated, reloaded with bombs, and flew to the battlefield. They did not dare to look for the so-called artillery positions easily, so they took out their anger on the infantrymen on the plain below.
But the problem came again. The Chinese seemed to have expected this move a long time ago. They actually deployed anti-aircraft anti-aircraft guns on the field positions. The twelve fighter planes were originally frightened birds and were beaten by anti-aircraft guns with a range of up to 2,500 meters. They dared to enter again.
The airspace is 2,000 meters, and the bomb is dropped in the airspace of 2,300 meters.
After more than half a day of fortification excavation, it was found that the position of the Fourth Army Regiment was actually only 100 meters away from the Japanese position at the closest point, and only 400 meters at the farthest point. From a high altitude, it almost looked like you were next to me and I was next to you, just like
Men and women in love can't wait to blend into each other.
Even artillery can't guarantee whether its shells will have an error of 200 meters, let alone bombs dropped from the air.
This was good. The bombs were dropped regardless of the situation, but neither of the two sides, China and Japan, who were very close to each other, was good. Two-thirds of them were on the Chinese side, and one-third on the Japanese side.
.
If the Japanese infantry had not spent most of the day digging trenches to a depth of almost two meters, really, the dozens or even hundreds of pounds of bombs dropped by their own people would have made them unable to survive.
Few people have lost the ability to speak about various unspeakable events that happened to the women in the families of Japanese Army Air Force pilots.
To put it bluntly, Japan's Army Air Forces is punching with seven wounds, hurting others and hurting itself!
However, if we really talk about the battle losses, the main force of the Four Elements Regiment hiding in the mountains is much smaller than the main force of the Japanese army on the front line battlefield. If there are so many more waves, it is estimated that the Four Elements Regiment will not have to attack with all their strength, and the Japanese will
People themselves are blown apart.
Throughout the whole day, the four-line regiment did nothing but dig trenches, dig trenches, and keep digging trenches!
In addition, use anti-aircraft cannons hidden in bunkers to hit all suspicious targets in sight.
The machine gun that fires flatly is so powerful. Even from a distance of 1,000 meters, the heavy machine gun fortifications piled with two layers of sandbags can penetrate with one shot. Not to mention the cigar-thick warhead that is full of kinetic energy and can still break people into pieces.
, the kind of sand that was blown away by artillery shells made a thumping sound when it hit the helmet.
The field fortifications that the Japanese army finally built with great effort ended up dying before they were officially put into use. How could the Japanese commanders endure it?
Therefore, 92 infantry guns were mobilized to deal with this terrible machine gun.
The sky in June was already scorching hot. The situation on the battlefield at that time was that soldiers from both China and Japan took off their military uniforms, digging various trenches with bare arms and sweating profusely, including those that could protect against mountain artillery and mortars.
hole, but the sound of shelling on the battlefield never stopped.
The Chinese machine guns hit various heavy firepower fortifications raised by the Japanese army on the ground. The Japanese army immediately retaliated with 92 infantry guns to shell the Chinese machine gun fortifications and visible field fortifications. Then the Chinese side's various mortars joined the battle.
, how could the Japanese army, which had suffered a loss, just let it go, so it called for its own artillery brigade.
The final outcome was that the mountain artillery fire groups from both sides jumped out again and fired at the other side's position.
After fighting back and forth, the infantry on both sides still suffered all the pain.
It's just that the Chinese side was well prepared. When Bai Sheng's engineering company came, they brought a large amount of steel plates, steel columns and other supporting materials. Whether it was machine gun fortifications or infantry platoon anti-gun holes, they were all supported by steel bars.
, the fortifications are much stronger than the Japanese field fortifications that relied entirely on the structural strength of the earth and stone, which lost a lot of baggage.
This can also be regarded as the first battle in the North China battlefield. Whether it is light or heavy firepower or the strength of fortifications, the Chinese side surpassed the Japanese side in the first battle.
On this day, except for the artillery battle and the digging of various tunnels, the Chinese and Japanese infantry did not actually have much actual contact.
Including the 683 brigade that blocked the Japanese army in the Changle Village area. In the morning, there was a burst of mortar shells from the flanks of the battlefield, and then heavy machine gun fire and the charge horn sounded for a long time, which frightened the Japanese infantry.
, in fact, the famous scene of soldiers charging did not actually occur.
The 772nd Regiment blocking the front seems to have a mentality that if you dare to come, I will beat you, and if you don't come, I will have nothing to ask for. In addition to constantly deepening and raising their trenches, they did not send a single soldier across the river to the river.
The Japanese army launched an attack.
Blocking from the front and pressing from the rear, this Chinese strategy is in line with the current battlefield situation, but Yamashita had already learned the numbers of the two Chinese troops that appeared in front of him through the intelligence department of the front army during the day.
One is a four-line regiment that is registered at the front army headquarters, and the other is an elite infantry brigade under the 80th Group Army, which is also famous in southeastern Shanxi. The military resume of the two chief officers makes even the proud people marvel.
Needless to say, the famous Chinese major general and brigade commander was born in the highest military academy in China. During his more than ten years of military career, except for a two-year gap, he was on the front line. His rich battlefield experience completely exceeded that of the man who was over fifty.
The mountain text.
It’s just that he has rich practical combat experience. What’s terrible is that the man in his 30s is in his prime, both mentally and physically. He is at the peak of his life. Who dares to ignore such a general?
Although another army colonel named Tang Dao was only in his 20s, even younger than Yamashita's eldest son, he was able to lead his troops out of an encirclement of hundreds of thousands of troops and repeatedly inflicted heavy losses on the pursuers behind him.
Who would dare to regard him as a young man in his 20s if the commander whose list of officers he killed above the rank of Army Major Zuo would turn a page?
Comparing the two, Yamashita is even more wary of Tang Dao.
Having passed the age of knowing destiny, he understands the differences between young people and middle-aged people very well.
Being young means that they are more flexible in thinking and less likely to stick to rules. They may even do things that would make middle-aged people feel unbelievable.
Time has given middle-aged people the qualities of maturity and calmness, but at the same time it has also worn away their vigor and sufficient spirit of adventure.
How wonderful is youth? If mature and calm middle-aged people are allowed to choose by themselves, they will often easily give up everything they have gained through decades of hard work and choose a time when they have nothing but are young enough.
Because youth means there are too many possibilities.
Perhaps, Tang Dao, a young commander who had already gained a lot of fat in the Imperial Japanese Army, had secret plans for the Second Mixed Brigade.
Everything now is just an illusion to paralyze the opponent.
Yamashita has reason to believe that with the abilities of Tang Dao and the major general brigade commander, they will not know that the 20,000 troops of the 108th Division are on their way to assist the 2nd Mixed Brigade, and they will put their so-called confidence in the Central Army Infantry Division
On the body.
The Central Army has a good reputation, but the Japanese North China Front Army, which has competed with the Central Military Department, has an extremely fair evaluation of it. The equipment of this military department is above average in the Chinese military, and its fighting will is also average, but its command
However, most officers have an almost pathological mentality of conserving strength, which results in their combat effectiveness not being able to exert half of what it should be. It is even far inferior to the Northwest Army, Sichuan Army, etc., which are called miscellaneous armies in the Chinese military.
No matter how bad the 108th Division is, with 20,000 people against 50,000 people, two days is enough to break through the defense line.
Therefore, Yamashita, who had been studying his two opponents for an entire afternoon, issued a military order to raise the entire army's alert to the highest level in the evening when the artillery fire gradually stopped.
He judged that the Chinese would definitely take action this night. This was what the Fourth Army Group and the 683rd Brigade loved to do.
The battle reports about the Four Troops Regiment clearly show that they are extremely good at night attacks. Whether it was the Four Troops Regiment's night attack on the Sixth Heavy Artillery, or the battle of Shushan's resistance to the Kunisaki Detachment, they all brought out the essence of night raids.
Extreme.
The biggest reason why the Kunozaki detachment was sent back to North China in a state of disgrace by the East China Front was not that an infantry regiment was lost in the mountains of Guangde, but that all of its heavy firepower was destroyed by the Four Lines Regiment, and it basically lost its ability to attack fortresses.
, if the East China front line is forced to stay, the East China front army will also deploy artillery support for it, a typical drag!
Late at night was originally a time to effectively repair the body and mind after a day of exhaustion. However, because of Yamashita's highest alert order, the tragic Japanese army had to huddle in the trench holding their rifles in a half-asleep posture.
Standby.
Severe lack of sleep, the coldness of the trenches, and the crisp mountain breeze were all straws that pushed the Japanese army's mental and physical strength to the brink of collapse.
A few kilometers away, Tang Dao, who was convening a meeting with the commanders of the three infantry battalions under his command, as well as the deputy battalion commanders and deputy instructors of the artillery battalion, special agent battalion and other directly subordinate battalions, issued a completely opposite military order.
"Except for leaving necessary security personnel in each battalion to prevent Japanese sneak attacks, the rest of the personnel must seize the time to rest and get up at 6 o'clock tomorrow to prepare for a decisive battle with the enemy! Oh, yes, the engineer company cannot rest for the time being. That important work is still up to you.
To complete it, whether we can successfully break through the current Japanese defense line tomorrow depends on you."
"Sir, do you think you should send the brothers from the reconnaissance company to sneak into the battlefield to attack the Japanese artillery brigade? Those 24 mountain cannons are too great a threat to the infantry. If the three battalions break through the Japanese positions, they will all be destroyed.
, our losses will be too great." Leng Feng hesitated for a while, then finally stood up and suggested.
"The reconnaissance company is not a god. Don't look at how dark and quiet the Japanese army's position is now. Believe it or not, if there is any disturbance, flares will be fired into the sky for free. Moreover, they still have sufficient troops. There is no need to let the reconnaissance
Not even taking such a big risk.
Those 24 mountain cannons pose a considerable threat to us. However, do you think that this day's bombardment is just Dahai having nothing to do to fight the Japanese? Come on, Commander Dahai, please explain to Commander Leng, so that he won't be unable to sleep at night.
Be practical." Tang Dao smiled slightly and turned his attention to the deputy commander of the artillery battalion.
"Hey, Commander Leng, just sleep soundly. The territory occupied by the Japanese is only so large. At the end of the day, combined with the information sent by the brothers from the reconnaissance company who sneaked into the mountains over there, our artillery battalion has basically estimated that
Their approximate location, when the general offensive is launched tomorrow, my artillery battalion will not clear the way for the infantry brothers, let's test their swords with them first." Pang Panghai grinned and answered Leng Feng confidently.
"real?"
Not only Leng Feng's eyes suddenly lit up.
The three infantry battalion commanders looked at each other with joy on their faces.
Although the Japanese infantry used their best efforts during the day to deepen and raise the trenches, these were no big deal to the commanders of the three major infantry battalions who had already fought many tough battles.
The only thing that stuck in their throats was the 24 mountain cannons. A five-minute concentrated fire was more than 500 rounds of artillery shells. It would be fine if they were in the trenches, but once the troops entered the charging state, what else would there be on the ground of the trenches, with flying shrapnel and
The overflowing air waves are a disaster for the infantry exposed to the surface.
Now Pang Panghai vowed to lock down the general area of the Japanese artillery and suppress it with artillery before the infantry charged. How could the three infantry battalion commanders not be happy?
"If the Japanese artillery group can focus on the infantry of our regiment when the general offensive is launched tomorrow, then I, Pang Hai, will cut off this fat body and refining it for you three brothers. Oh, yes, and also use Lao Cheng's head as a pawn for you.
Kick the ball!" Pang Dahai patted his chest, and the fat under his military uniform swayed.
"Hey, hey, you, Deputy Battalion Commander Pang, swear, why do you want Mao to take me with you?" Cheng Tieshou
"You are my brother and partner! Brothers share blessings and hardships. My fat has been refined. You, Old Cheng, can't watch it with a smile on your face, right?" Pang Dahai's reason was irrefutable.
"If I had a choice, I'd rather you, a fat guy, play football, and I'd rather refine oil!" Cheng Tieshou rolled his eyes.
"What's the difference between the two?"
"No, but I think your head is suitable for a ball, so what?"
"According to what you said, I can refine oil and be suitable for playing football."
"Forget it, I can't just let you carry it all, why are we partners?"
Listening to the bickering between No. 2 and No. 3 of the artillery battalion, everyone laughed.
Especially the two people who had just finished fighting looked at each other and smiled.
A few days ago, there was a slight gap between the two because of who was the deputy battalion commander and who was the deputy instructor. Because they were mutually recognized as partners and brothers, they disappeared!
A smile appeared at the corner of Tang Dao's mouth.
The army is hierarchical and sophisticated as machines, but it is also made up of people and rivers and lakes!
It's a river and lake, and there are disputes, and some people win and some lose.
There's only one position, and there's always someone who can't get it, so it's normal to have emotions.
Just like Pang Panghai and Cheng Tieshou, the two had similar statuses from the beginning, and their military achievements were equally matched. However, Tang Dao finally chose Pangdahai as the deputy battalion commander of the artillery battalion. He was also the acting chief officer designated in the military order, ranking second.
Above Cheng Tieshou, of course Cheng Tieshou felt unhappy.
Tang Dao's reasons are very good. Pang Panghai is responsible for directly commanding the mountain artillery battery and the heavy mortar battery, which is obviously more important for the support of the infantry. Relatively speaking, Cheng Tieshou's air defense company has slightly weaker functions.
However, Tang Dao believed that his brothers, the battlefield, could make him understand that the lives of his brothers were much more important than the so-called status in the world.
Sure enough, Cheng Tieshou did not disappoint him.
Looking up at the sky, the sky is full of stars. It will definitely be a good weather tomorrow.
As the saying goes: The sun is scorching like fire and the mountain wind is hunting, it is a good time to kill the Japanese!
This chapter has been completed!