Just when the Japanese army was struggling to hold on in Niangziguan and Xinkou, and Okamura Neji was busy mobilizing troops and generals in Taiyuan, a sudden heavy rain brought a bit of coolness to the originally scorching weather.
In early September, a large-scale rainfall occurred in Shanxi. The heavy rain instantly turned the originally dry land into a swamp, and various plants with strong vitality also rushed out of the ground.
A Japanese army was marching on a road. Most of these Japanese soldiers looked exhausted, and their uniforms had already been soaked by the rain.
This was a reinforcement force heading from Taiyuan to Niangziguan. After they came out of Taiyuan, they couldn't rest well for several days. The sudden heavy rain and the road that almost turned into mud made the march a painful one.
torture.
But what they didn't notice was that above their heads, a small and exquisite Fi156 White Crane reconnaissance aircraft was quietly passing over their heads.
After several years of development and unremitting training by the aviation school, today's Liantai Flying Corps is no longer as short of personnel as it was when it was first established. Although it is not yet wealthy, some non-combat "positions" such as transport aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft are still available.
“There are no longer just two or three big cats and kittens like at the beginning.
The White Crane reconnaissance aircraft has been loved by many pilots until now. The main reason is that this guy not only has a short take-off and landing distance, but also has high safety. The most important reason is that it makes very little sound when flying. If it were not
If you are very close, you won't be able to hear the plane's engine at all.
"This is Rainbow Six. Traces of Japanese troops have been found. The size is about an infantry regiment. It is currently heading towards Niangziguan. The current position is one kilometer south of Qixia Village. Report completed."
As Bian Daling's observer and machine gunner, Xia Juping's professional skills have now changed from unfamiliar to proficient. Now she can even send telegrams skillfully while observing the ground situation with her eyes.
In less than thirty seconds, a telegram was transmitted along with the radio waves to the command headquarters in the rear.
At this time, most of the Japanese soldiers carrying rifles looked haggard, and their uniforms had already been wet by the rain. Since setting off from Taiyuan, they had only been rushing along the way.
Due to the rampage of the Liantai militia planes, the Japanese army also encountered difficulties in supplying supplies. The Japanese army could only rely on the rice balls they brought with them before departure and the wild vegetables picked temporarily to satisfy their hunger. After eating for a few days, their eyeballs turned green.
The only good thing is that the harsh weather and roads in the past two days have also restricted the Chinese people and their planes. As long as there are no death threats from the sky, their hard work is worth it.
But what they didn't expect was that above their heads, a small plane painted in camouflage colors was quietly observing them at a height of 800 meters. Moreover, due to heavy rains every day, there were many clouds, and the engine sound was very loud.
It's so small that they can't notice anything on the ground.
Soon, more than ten P-47 Thunder attack aircraft, guided by reconnaissance aircraft, flew over the Japanese army.
At the moment when the planes flew over the highway, it was only then that there were waves of panicked shouts on the highway.
The Japanese soldiers who were marching hard in the swamp suddenly fell into chaos. The leader Xue Shaogong pressed the bomb release button on the joystick. The P-47 fuselage, nicknamed the Earth-licking Demon, shook and two 250-kilogram cluster bombs left the fuselage.
Straight towards the ground, while pulling up the plane, flying sideways and climbing high, and while doing maneuvers to get rid of anti-aircraft fire, the pilot habitually glanced down the plane.
Looking down, I saw two cluster bombs falling right in the middle of the road. A series of explosions and smoke rose in the middle of the road. Suddenly, broken wood and debris flew everywhere, and black smoke columns rose into the sky from the explosion. At the same time, other
The P-47 fighter jets had already followed him and pounced on the ground target.
In just ten seconds, more than sixty 250-kilogram cluster bombs exploded one after another on the highway.
When the cluster bomb exploded at 50 meters in the air, it released more than a hundred submunitions. Then the cluster bombs exploded at 20 meters in the air, releasing tens of thousands of steel needles, which flew towards the Japanese army on the road like raindrops.
Over time, this unit completely lost its combat effectiveness.
No... it should be said that this road now has become a hell on earth.
Countless Japanese soldiers were pierced by steel needles falling from the sky and died. The few who did not die on the spot fell in a pool of blood and wailed in pain. Even those riding in trucks and even a few armored tanks were sieved.
This "extremely cruel" weapon, which has been expressly banned by most countries in later generations, fully reflects its cruelty.
"boring!"
After completing the bombing mission, Xue Shaogong sighed. Most of his comrades who came with him also felt the same way.
Since the Japanese aircraft in Shanxi were emptied, the pilots of the Flying Corps have no longer had any "fun" to talk about in supporting the army. There is no such pleasure as flying at lightning speed and dancing in the rain of bullets. All they need is to liaise with the army.
Under the guidance of pilots or reconnaissance aircraft, the Japanese army, which did not have much air defense power, carried out air strikes to kill and injure its effective forces as much as possible, while the ground troops took the opportunity to invade the Japanese army's positions to expand their results.
When a strong wind blew away the smoke from the explosion on the road, the yellow muddy road had already changed color, and the yellow mud was dyed red and black with blood.
A few minutes later, when the last P-47 dropped the last cluster bomb, there were some wounded soldiers squirming in the mud on the road stained red with blood, and there were some inconspicuous bomb craters or dirt around them.
Behind the slope, some surviving Japanese soldiers looked at the gloomy sky in horror, watching the group of demons above their heads disappear.
Half an hour later, Okamura Neiji in Taiyuan received the news that the infantry regiment that went to support Niangziguan was all blown up by the planes of the Liantai militia group. He smiled bitterly and said to Adachi Twenty-three beside him: "Adachi-kun, I'm afraid
We must be prepared to fight the Chinese in Taiyuan."
Adachi Twenty-Three rarely spoke. It seemed to him that perhaps Okamura Neji had already had this idea, but he did not say it out because of his face.
It wasn't until the infantry regiment he sent to reinforce Niangziguan was bombed by planes from the Liantai Flying Corps that he finally let go of the illusion in his heart and finally dared to confess to his subordinates what he didn't want to admit.
"Your Excellency, Commander, the Chinese people have also said that victory and defeat are common matters for military personnel, and there is no need to be obsessed with the gains and losses of one city or one place. You are the commander of an army of 200,000, and there is no need to blame yourself for the affairs of a regiment.
.”
"Do you blame yourself?"
Okamura Neji snorted and stopped talking.
Would he really blame himself for recruiting cannon fodder for a mere thousand and a half stamps?
No, he actually felt uneasy about his upcoming fate, and even had a hint of panic.