The clear code of this word could be seen by the head of the Eighth Route Army headquarters, and naturally others could also see it. All of a sudden, Chongqing and major newspapers became excited.
Pravda, Shenbao, Ta Kung Pao and other major newspapers have published what can be called the shortest telegram in history.
"Selling and selling newspapers... The troops of the 41st Division of the Japanese Army were approaching Qixia Pass. The commander of the 41st Division, Yukio Koizumi, called Commander Gao of the Liantai Militia, hoping that he would surrender. Commander Gao only replied with one word."
"Selling newspapers, a regiment faced a Japanese division. Commander Gao led his troops to fight against the Japanese 41st Division at Qixia Pass. It is not yet known who will win."
Today, in Chongqing, Guilin and major cities that have not yet fallen, newspaper boys are running around in the streets and alleys, holding newspapers high and shouting the latest news.
Out of curiosity, people from all walks of life also bought the newspaper and read it. It was incredible to see that there are still such people these days, using a regiment of troops to fight against a Japanese division. What kind of courage and peace of mind are they?
.
Especially the reply message, which contains only one word, "Bah!"
Anyone who is Chinese knows what this means, and this is so damn relieving.
In fact, the next morning, after Yukio Koizumi saw the reply call from Gao Hongming, he immediately tore the telegram into pieces, and his originally reserved face turned livid.
"Bagayalu, since this Chinese doesn't know how to praise, let us tear him into pieces with cannons and order the field artillery regiment to fire!"
The 41st Division is a standard second-class division. Its field artillery unit has a total of twenty-four Type 94 75mm mountain guns and twelve Type 99 105mm mountain guns.
The scale of such artillery was already very powerful for the Chinese army in this period. In the later movie "The Battle of Taierzhuang", there is such a dialogue. A division commander said: I am going to deploy the main force of the entire division in the village for defense.
His superior objected and said: No, no, the Japanese artillery fire is very powerful. If they can only hit you with one shell, you will collapse. How can you fight this battle? It must be said that during the Anti-Japanese War, the biggest gap between the Chinese army and the Japanese army was
It's a heavy weapon.
Koizumi Yukio gave an order, and the Japanese field artillery regiment, which had been prepared for a long time, immediately began the bombardment.
"Boom...boom..."
Continuous artillery shells fell into the positions that the militia soldiers spent several days repairing. The violent explosion shock waves reduced many trenches to rubble. Mud and smoke accompanied by steel fragments wreaked havoc in the trenches.
Although most of the militia soldiers have entered the shell-proof holes, some soldiers must always be left as early warning.
During the explosion, raging steel shrapnel threatened the lives of the militia soldiers in the trenches. The shock wave shattered the internal organs of the militia soldiers at close range. The air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder and thick smoke, and the soldiers in the trenches were choked.
Coughing loudly and continuously.
The soldiers hiding in the shell-proof caves were not feeling well either. Listening to the shells whizzing overhead and shells exploding nearby, everyone looked uncomfortable.
Today's shelling is different from yesterday's shelling by the 67th Regiment.
Yesterday's bombardment only included four Type 92 infantry guns. They did not pose a great threat to the infantry who had trenches as bunkers, but today it was different.
Although the caliber of the Type 94 75mm mountain cannon is only 5 mm larger than the Type 92 infantry cannon, it is much more powerful, especially the Type 99 105mm mountain cannon. It is one of the heavy artillery of the Japanese army and is specially used in mountainous areas and
For combat in complex terrain, the explosive power of its 12.34-kilogram shell is considerable.
When the shells fell one after another, the defense line of the fourth battalion on the first line was instantly submerged in thick smoke.
Gao Hongming saw with his own eyes that a 105-mm mountain gun hit an anti-gun cave, and a squad of soldiers inside was instantly buried inside.
Seeing this, Gao Hongming looked a little ugly and asked the observer on the side, "Have the Japanese artillery positions been observed?"
The observation post replied: "Sir...it has been observed, but the Japanese are very cunning. They did not agree to deploy all the artillery in the same place, but divided it into several places. We have only observed two places so far, and we need to continue to observe.
"
"What are you still observing? Are you waiting for the little devil to wreak havoc on our infantry brothers? Order the Second Artillery Battalion to fight back immediately and beat him to pieces!"
"yes!"
Seeing Gao Hongming getting angry, the observer did not dare to neglect. He quickly picked up the SCR-300 radio and tuned it to the communication channel of the Second Artillery Battalion.
"Second Artillery Battalion... Second Artillery Battalion, this is the frontline observation post. Two Japanese artillery positions were observed, namely 212...455 125...754. The regiment has ordered to destroy them immediately."
"clear!"
Only a clear and steady voice came from the radio.
More than ten seconds later, Gao Hongming on the observation post immediately heard a sharp whistling sound from behind, and then bursts of explosions began to be heard from about five or six kilometers behind the Japanese army.
A few minutes later, Koizumi Yukio received a report from Chief of Staff Ogiwara Toda: "Your Excellency, Division Commander, our No. 1 and No. 2 artillery positions were destroyed, and three artillery pieces were lost. The artillery in these two artillery positions has stopped firing.
Move artillery positions."
Hearing that his artillery position was attacked, Koizumi Yukio was not surprised. From the information he received these days, he knew that the Chinese army on the opposite side had artillery. Although the number of artillery was not yet clear, he was certain of its caliber.
It should be 105 mm, and the number should be no less than twelve doors.
Faced with this situation, Koizumi Yukio also made preparations. Yesterday he ordered the field artillery regiment to disperse the artillery positions. Although it is more troublesome to command in this way, it is better than safety. This point has come true.
Although he had anticipated the opponent's artillery, Yukio Koizumi still felt distressed when he heard that three artillery pieces had been destroyed.
After all, Japan is an island country with poor resources, so it attaches great importance to supplies, especially heavy weapons such as artillery.
The muscles on his face twitched a few times, and he asked again: "Have you found the position of the Chinese artillery?"
"No."
Ogiwara Toda shook his head: "The Chinese artillery position is located behind Qixia Pass. Our observation post is too low to be seen at all. The artillery regiment requested to raise the observation balloon for observation."
"Requesting permission." Koizumi Yukio said without thinking: "Immediately raise the observation balloon, quickly locate the Chinese artillery positions, and then destroy them."
"Hi!"
Seeing Ogiwara Toda leaving, Koizumi Yukio looked at Qixia Pass on the opposite side and felt for the first time that this pass was not as easy to fight as imagined.
Over the years, he commanded the 41st Division and experienced many big and small battles, but he rarely suffered defeats. Even the most well-equipped Central Army only retreated with hatred after facing the artillery of the 41st Division.
But today's Chinese militia gave him a different feeling. The opponent's troops were well-equipped, and even equipped with heavy artillery that was not inferior to theirs. It would be difficult to force the infantry to attack before all the opponent's artillery was eliminated.
At what cost it's hard to say.
But it’s not enough to do nothing, otherwise it would be ridiculous if the imperial army, which is a huge division, dare not launch an attack in the face of a small pass.
Soon, the 67th Regiment began to attack.
After Ota Ryūji received the order, he immediately attacked with the 1st Battalion from the front, and the 2nd and 3rd Battalions surrounded the enemy from the left and right wings respectively. At the same time, reconnaissance balloons were raised from the rear.
Facing the large-scale Japanese attack, Gao Hongming and the officers of the militia became serious.
The scale of the Japanese attack today is completely different from yesterday. Going down from the mountain, there are dark Japanese troops everywhere.
The Japanese army's brigade-level attack is very different from the regiment-level attack. After the scale of the attack reaches the regiment level, light and heavy machine guns, infantry cannons, grenades, mortars and even field artillery are all available.
The field artillery regiment first used dozens of its artillery pieces to bombard the hillside randomly. For a while, the explosions only caused dust and smoke to fill the air. The soldiers could only hide in the anti-aircraft gun holes without even daring to show their heads. And those hiding in the
The soldiers in the trenches could only pray that the shells would not fall on their heads.
"Sir...the Japanese artillery fire is really too wild. Should we order the artillery battalion to fight back?"
Seeing that his own troops could only hide in the artillery holes to avoid artillery fire, Wu Chengfeng couldn't help it anymore and asked Gao Hongming on the side.
Gao Hongming shook his head: "The Japs' artillery fire is nothing to worry about. What I'm worried about now is whether the Japs will set a trap and suddenly attack us when our artillery fire shows up. In this way, our losses will be huge."
"But we can't wait like this." Wu Chengfeng was a little unwilling. During this period, they had always suppressed the Japanese. When would it be the Japanese's turn to show off their power in front of them?
"Why are you anxious?" Gao Hongming glared at him, "This battle will not end in a short while. You have to know that we have an entire division of Japanese soldiers in front of us. If we are not careful, we will be doomed. We must
Be careful and careful again.
You are not the nurse in the Gao family's old house now, nor are you the platoon leader in the Northwest Army. You have seven to eight hundred brothers under your command, and their lives are all in your hands. What if you are still like this?
Damn it, how can I safely teach you a battalion?"
Wu Chengfeng, who was scolded by Gao Hongming, hung his head and remained silent.
Gao Hongming ignored him, walked to the observation mirror, and raised his eyes. After more than ten minutes, the Japanese stopped shelling, and the infantry began to attack. Type 92 heavy machine guns began to fire at the fourth battalion position.
The infantry, on the other hand, took advantage of the terrain to advance quickly between shots. Their only purpose was to close the distance with the defenders in the shortest possible time.
Just as the Japanese army was desperately trying to close the distance, the fourth battalion of defenders began to take action. Soldiers began to emerge from the gun holes one after another, and MG42 machine guns began to be set up.
The riflemen began to fire back one after another, and the MG42 opened fire quickly. The intensive firepower instantly knocked down the two rows of Japanese soldiers rushing to the ground.