Chapter 558: Look at long-term interests (second update)
Fire splashed and smoke billowed, and more than a dozen soldiers hiding behind the battlements fell instantly.
The squad leader was heartbroken when he saw it. He stared at his big red eyes and gave an urgent order: "It's a sudden artillery fire attack. Everyone, take cover...get down...boom..."
Before the order was finished, the second round of shells had already fallen from the sky.
Within the field of vision, about ten more soldiers were blown over and fell to the ground without moving.
The other Japanese and puppet troops quickly got down, but the city top was bare and there was not even a hiding place.
The only way the Japanese and puppet troops could avoid artillery fire was to lie down, but this could not completely avoid the shell fragments flying above their heads. As long as the impact point was close enough to them, even the most common shells would still take their lives.
Half a minute later, the sudden artillery fire coverage stopped abruptly, the sound of machine gun fire outside the city also stopped, and the attacking troops simultaneously disappeared from the sight of the Japanese and puppet troops.
The Japanese squad leader did not know the purpose of the Eighth Route Army's actions. While ordering the troops to strengthen their vigilance, he reported the situation to the garrison headquarters...
An hour later, Deng Jingye led his troops outside the south gate.
"Since the Japanese think we are wasting their strength, let's continue the feint attack!"
"We can use the trick to our advantage!"
The captain of the Japanese garrison headquarters in Wangdu County was also shocked by the sudden attack in the east of the city.
An hour later, intensive firefights also broke out at the south gate of Wangdu County, which lasted for less than a minute and stopped completely.
"I will deploy fifty people from the reserve team to reinforce them..."
"No..." The captain refused without hesitation.
"There is always only one platoon of troops at the top of the city...if five rounds of artillery shells are fired, it will be good to kill a squad of Japanese and puppet troops!"
At three o'clock in the morning, intensive firefights were also heard from the west gate, which also lasted for one minute and then stopped.
"What if your guess is wrong and the Eighth Route Army suddenly launches a general attack while we don't have enough troops on top of the city?"
"Let the artillery battery continue to fire...but change the previous five rounds of artillery fire into two rounds!"
At this time, no matter how stupid the captain was, he knew that the Eighth Route Army outside the city did not have the strength to conquer the county seat, and was using artillery raids to consume a large number of troops inside the city.
Just as he was about to send someone to investigate the situation, the sound of firefighting stopped, and then the headquarters phone rang.
Outside the north gate of Wangdu County, all the light and heavy machine guns brought by the troops have been fired, and the feign attack troops have also rushed out. However, the number of Japanese and puppet troops stationed at the top of the city has not increased. There are always only three machine guns and ten or twenty rifles firing.
"As long as the headquarters limits the number of troops at the top of the city, no matter how fierce the artillery fire of the Eighth Route Army is to attack us, the loss of troops will be within a controllable range!"
"Send another telegram to Baoding City: Wangdu County was attacked by the Eighth Route Army. The enemy was equipped with a large number of mortars and light and heavy machine guns, but the troops were insufficient!"
Deng Jingye's brows immediately furrowed into a big "Sichuan" sign, and he shook his head and analyzed: "Something's wrong, the little devils should have seen our true purpose of consuming their troops!"
"No..." Major General Hase put down the request for help and replied calmly while looking at the sand table.
"No, let's continue to pretend to attack Wangdu County!" Deng Jingye thought for a moment and replied.
The attack they encountered was exactly the same as the East Gate.
After a minute, he put down the phone and looked at the brigade leader nervously reporting: "Sir... the Eighth Route Army that attacked the garrison in the east of the city has retreated!"
At the Japanese brigade headquarters in Baoding, after reading the telegram requesting assistance from Wangdu County, the deputy subconsciously changed the action plan decided by the brigade commander.
Without needing to be reminded by the adjutant, he ordered with a stern face: "Contact all city defense troops immediately. From now on, the troops at the top of the city cannot exceed thirty people. The more dispersed the formation, the better, to reduce the losses of the troops in the Eighth Route Army's artillery raid!"
The adjutant looked at the captain and suddenly interjected: "Sir, judging from the sound of the exchange of fire just now, the siege force has very strong firepower. Nine mortars were dispatched, and a large number of light and heavy machine guns participated in the battle, but they don't seem to have many troops!"
A staff officer flattered him and said: "The Eighth Route Army will definitely take the opportunity to enter the city and capture the county seat..."
"As long as the attack is strong enough, there is still a high chance of entering the city!"
The fourth company commander immediately came over: "Captain, why don't we stop fighting..."
"This is most likely done intentionally by the Eighth Route Army to make us think they were bluffing, reducing the number of troops at the city head... and then suddenly launched a general attack, catching us off guard!"
"Baga..." The captain's eyes were red with heartache.
Each of the three firefights involved an artillery raid of the same scale, and each artillery attack caused nearly fifty casualties to the city defense troops.
The moment the telephone soldier picked up the phone, everyone in the headquarters looked at him.
"The city defense force has suffered nearly 200 casualties. Please ask the brigade headquarters to send troops to reinforce us as soon as possible!"
"Dozens of artillery shells only cost the lives of a dozen Japanese and puppet soldiers. It's such a loss!"
"General, Wangdu County is in danger and may be captured by the Eighth Route Army at any time... Compared with the Qinggang stronghold, it is more dangerous there... Otherwise, we should change the target of attack and attack Wangdu County first and then the Qinggang stronghold."
"A siege cannot be fought only with artillery. Without the cooperation of infantry, no matter how many artillery there are, we will never be able to capture Wangdu County!"
The adjutant further confirmed his judgment and hoped that the captain would limit the number of troops on the city wall to reduce the losses of the city defense troops in the artillery raid.
He clenched his fists and began to curse: "Tell the troops stationed in the east of the city... From now on, they must be more vigilant and be ready for artillery defense at any time!"
"The Eighth Route Army's feigned attack on the city is just your guess, without any real evidence!"
"But in the artillery raid just now, they killed 29 people, seriously injured 11 people, and more than ten people were slightly injured, 16 of whom were imperial soldiers..."
"We cannot ignore the captain's worries... To be cautious, we should continue to defend the city!"
At the beginning, they used firepower to raid the city, and then sent out infantry to feign an attack. After forcing all the Japanese and puppet troops to the city, five rounds of artillery shells roared in, consuming their troops.
There were not many defenders in Wangdu County to begin with, but they lost more than fifty people in one fell swoop. Although they were not seriously injured, it was still a huge loss.
"When the Japanese are completely relieved, they suddenly launch a general attack and catch them by surprise..."
"One or twenty artillery shells are exchanged for the lives of a dozen Japanese and puppet soldiers. We can afford to lose on this deal!"
"You must guard the east gate for me and don't give the Eighth Route Army any opportunity to take advantage of it!"
"I think the real purpose of the Eighth Route Army outside the city in attacking the county town is to sneak attack us and consume our troops, not to attack the city..."
The captain still didn't nod: "Wait a moment..."
"We can't just look at immediate interests and ignore long-term interests!"
"Retaking the Qinggang stronghold is not only related to the security of Baoding, but also related to the safety of all supplies, weapons and ammunition going south, and even more related to whether many garrisons in North China can receive ammunition supplies in time. There is no room for any mistakes!"
"In the face of the overall situation, it doesn't matter even if Wangdu County is lost!"
The second update is delivered today! Please order in full!
