After questioning, Jiao Funian learned that this officer had been ordered to lead his troops to capture the building, but they had been fighting for several hours and had made no progress at all.
"Platoon Commander Li, where are we?" Jiao Funian asked.
"This is Dongmen Changshun Street!"
"What...East Gate? How did I get here?"
Jiao Funian was dumbfounded for a moment.
Seeing Jiao Funian's stunned look, the platoon leader named Li knew at a glance that this guy must have become separated from his unit, and patted him on the shoulder: "Brother, can't you find the unit? It doesn't matter, you go first
Follow us, it won't be too late for you to go find the troops after this battle is over."
The battlefield is full of artillery fire, and anything can happen. It is too common for soldiers to get separated from their troops. Generally, soldiers who get separated will rendezvous with nearby troops and wait until the battle is over before returning to the team.
Jiao Funian thought for a while and agreed. After all, it was too dangerous to run around like this alone.
However, he saw that the building occupied by the Japanese army was still pouring out tongues of fire, and he couldn't help but said: "Sir, you can't fight like this, the Japanese are all hiding in the building.
Our tank's shooting range is limited, and the tank gun can't hit the Japs upstairs at all, which means the Japs don't have anti-tank guns, otherwise our tank would have been gone long ago."
"Of course I know, but there's nothing we can do about it." Platoon Leader Li also looked helpless.
The particularity of street fighting is very different from previous battles. Many heavy weapons cannot be used. It has been several hours since he led the platoon to attack the building opposite, but except for the loss of several soldiers, there has been no progress at all.
He originally thought that with the reinforcements of tanks, they would be able to take down the building quickly. Unexpectedly, things were not at all what he imagined. The majestic tanks on the plains entered the city, but they were unable to do anything. They were restrained everywhere.
Not to mention how frustrating it is.
"Sir, how about we go around?" Jiao Funian tentatively suggested.
"No!" Platoon Leader Li was very resolute, "Our platoon received a fatal order. We must capture this building to clear the way for the follow-up troops, so detours are absolutely impossible."
"What should we do?"
Jiao Funian was also helpless. The building was located on the opposite side of the street. If they wanted to attack the building, they would have to risk machine gun fire and cross the more than 100 meters of open space to launch the attack.
If we really wanted to do this, all these twenty or so people would have to be killed on the way before they could reach the other side.
Some people say, can we ask the soldiers to follow the tanks and not pass them?
Sorry, the Japanese occupy the commanding heights. Even if they are behind the tank, they can still hit you.
"Where are the smoke bombs? Use smoke bombs to cover them?" Jiao Funian asked.
"It's all used up." Platoon Leader Li spread his hands helplessly, "Our platoon only has a few smoke grenades in total. They were all used up in the battle this morning."
The group of people looked at each other with big eyes and small eyes, and no one could think of any good solution.
Just when everyone was anxious, another group of people came from behind. When everyone took a closer look, they found that more than 20 artillerymen from the Liantai Militia Group were pushing two small and exquisite artillery towards them.
At this time, the Japanese soldiers in that building also discovered the pedestrians, and immediately turned their guns and fired at them. Strings of bullets hit the street, making a crackling sound, and the group of artillery soldiers could only hide in a collapsed building.
Don't dare to show your head behind the house.
When Platoon Leader Li saw this, he also shouted: "Hurry up and cover them!"
More than 20 Eighth Route Army soldiers also hid behind the bunker and shot at the building. The machine gunner in the No. 4 tank took the risk to open the top cover and used the MG34 machine gun on the tank to shoot at the building. The fierce firepower instantly destroyed the Japanese troops.
The firepower was suppressed.
"Hurry up and help!" More than a dozen Eighth Route Army soldiers also ran over and worked with the gunners to push the two artillery pieces over.
After the group met, a second lieutenant gasped and said to Platoon Commander Li: "Platoon Commander Li, I heard that your unit has encountered difficulties, and we have been ordered to support you."
Platoon Leader Li asked with some surprise: "Has the Joint Chiefs of Staff allowed us to use artillery?"
"without!"
The second lieutenant shook his head: "Heavy artillery is not good, we can only use this small-caliber artillery."
"This thing doesn't work." Platoon Leader Li frowned and said, "We tried it just now. The outer wall of the building in front was specially reinforced by the Japanese with reinforced concrete. The small cannon couldn't gnaw it at all, and it left a mark on it.
Unless you use a 100mm or even 203-caliber heavy artillery."
"Whoever says it can't work, you all have to look at me." The second lieutenant suddenly laughed mysteriously.
I saw him asking the artilleryman behind him: "Brothers, are everything done?"
"It's almost over," one of the gunners replied.
"Okay."
The second lieutenant said to Platoon Leader Li: "Platoon Leader Li, tell your brothers to put on their gas masks quickly to avoid accidental injuries."
"What, a gas mask? Are you going to use gas bombs? Are you crazy?" Platoon Commander Li was shocked when he heard this. This is Taiyuan City, and there are many ordinary people around.
If gas bombs were really used, they would still be shot even if they captured the building opposite!
"Who said we were going to use poison gas bombs?" the second lieutenant snorted, "These little devils have done a lot of evil since they came to China. I will make them burst into tears today."
In the building opposite, three Type 92 heavy machine guns were firing fiercely at the street opposite. The fierce firepower blocked the streets in three directions.
The Japanese army stationed here is a small team, and their mission is to firmly guard this place and never allow the Chinese army to pass here.
Just when the Japanese team leader was observing the situation on the other side, he heard only a "Boom!" and a sharp whistle. A shell fell in front of the building where they were. The explosion and smoke were not strong, not as strong as a grenade.
A cloud of gray-white smoke rose from the location where the shell exploded, and the gray-white smoke instantly enveloped half of the street.
"Nani?" The team leader was surprised at first, and then his expression changed drastically.
"No...the Chinese are going to use gas bombs...put on the gas mask quickly!"
Just as the Japanese soldiers in the building were hurriedly looking for gas masks, accompanied by sharp whistling sounds, artillery shells fell on the street one after another, and two more shells went through the window and entered the building.
, and for a time the whole building was filled with gray-white smoke.
"Cough...cough..."
"my eyes……"
"Help...cough, cough..."
Because the bombardment came so fast, many Japanese soldiers in the building suffered disaster before they had time to put on gas masks. These people desperately tore their clothes in the smoke and exposed their chests. The previous crazy howls were completely drowned out by the coughs and screams.