Beside the wide road, in the thick grass, there were several dark figures lying on their backs. Their bodies were covered with weeds, blending in with the surrounding environment.
Captain Lei of the 1st Battalion and the 1st Company led Xia Yuan, Ma Da, and Chen Lie to observe the high ground on the opposite side of the road. He held a telescope and kept adjusting and observing. After observing for a long time, he said: "It's strange.
Yes, you could see the American troops living on the high ground opposite two days ago, but you can’t see them today.”
Instructor Shao said: "Could it be that the enemy has retreated?"
Ma Daguo interrupted: "Company commander, if the enemy retreats, can we take this opportunity to occupy the high ground on the opposite side?"
Seeing that Captain Lei was still thinking, instructor Shao said: "No, if we go to occupy the high ground on the opposite side now, we will be acting without permission, which is a mistake."
Xia Yuan used night vision goggles to observe the high ground on the opposite side. The US troops on the mountain were indeed no longer there, so he said: "The instructor is right. We haven't received the order to attack yet. If we act rashly, we may alert the enemy. We need to proceed with caution."
"However, company commander, I suggest that we report the situation here."
Now he is not sure which US military unit is on the opposite side. In the second stage of the Fifth Battle, those holding the center line are the 60th Army and the 15th Army of the 3rd Corps of the Volunteer Army. The enemies they face are the Puppet 6th Division and the 7th US Army.
Division, based on the information I know, I speculate that the U.S. Army in the upper part of the mountain is most likely the U.S. 7th Division. However, the large-scale offensive of the Volunteer Army has not yet begun. The 19th Corps on the Western Front is launching a feint attack on Seoul, attracting and restraining the U.S. Army.
.
The enemy's retreat on the mountain was not an unforeseen event. They may have wanted to temporarily stay on the same front as the main force on the Western Front.
Sure enough, nighttime observations and Xia Yuan's inner guess were confirmed. The U.S. troops in front of them retreated a few kilometers, keeping in line with the U.S. troops on the western front. The 180th Division's response was very simple, only two words.
go ahead!
The orders from superiors were issued, and the ministries continued to set off.
Captain Lei led the first company and took the opportunity to occupy the high ground that the US military had left. There were still defensive fortifications on the high ground, but most of the fortifications had been demolished by the US military. Captain Lei stood on a mound and ordered
Each platoon repairs the fortifications on the position.
Captain Lei said: "Sooner or later we will be able to use this position."
One row.
The soldiers dug fortifications for a while and were very tired. Wang Xiaoliang held the engineering shovel and was so tired that he couldn't straighten up. "Oh, I can't do it anymore, I can't do it anymore, I'm too tired."
Xia Yuan, who was on the side, followed the voice and said: "This war hasn't even started yet, and I'm crying out that I'm tired. The fortifications are dug well, and we can save lives in the future. No matter how hard and tiring we are, we have to endure it."
Liu Tiezhu said: "Platoon leader, Comrade Wang Xiaoliang is homesick."
Wang Xiaoliang looked ashamed: "You are the one who misses home, I still have the strength."
He held the engineering shovel, bent down and shoveled hard a few times. The gun on his back slid to the front of him. He shook the gun again and put it behind him. The comrades around him smiled. Second Squad Leader Niu Fengyang said: "
Digging fortifications is also a part of being a soldier. Soldiers cannot fight without three things. One is food and the other is guns. The other is the position. When the fortifications are destroyed, the position is gone. When the position is gone, everyone
But they’re all dead.”
The third squad leader nodded: "Who says it's not the case? Digging well means taking care of your own life."
The volunteer soldiers in the first platoon are still very tolerant of the comrades who are new to the company.
Wang Xiaoliang didn't seem to think so. In his opinion, the comrades in the team just thought that he was young, small in stature, and had no fighting ability. He waved the engineer shovel in his hand dully, thinking to himself, when he got to the battlefield, he must take it.
Show your talents, show them, and let them recognize you!
Time passed bit by bit, and before the superiors issued combat orders, Captain Lei often took the three platoon leaders of the company to the enemy's front lines to conduct enemy situation reconnaissance and prepare for the subsequent major counterattack.
After several days of exploration, they had clearly mapped out the U.S. military's defense situation on the company's frontal positions. Xia Yuan showed off his painting skills and simply drew the enemy's defense situation on the high ground.
On the last day before the war, after Company Commander Lei and Instructor Shao finished the battalion meeting, they held a pre-war meeting for the first company. Company Commander Lei looked at the soldiers of the first company and said: "The superiors have assigned the combat mission, and our
The combat mission is that the U.S. troops on the three highlands on the front battlefield of our company are about one battalion."
Captain Lei's eyes were a little solemn and his voice was heavy: "This is our first real battle on the Korean battlefield, and our first battle is against an enemy that is many times stronger than our own. This is
This enemy is the most powerful enemy we have ever faced. In terms of logistics, firepower, and military strength, we are far unable to keep up with the enemy!"
"but!"
Captain Lei's voice suddenly changed: "Can we be afraid? No, our fathers and fellow villagers are watching. Retreating is equivalent to putting them under the enemy's gun. Think about what our motherland has gone through along the way.
After many hardships, we finally live a good life, but there are people who refuse to let us live a good life, so we will never agree!"
The soldiers shouted in unison: "Never agree! Never agree! Never agree!"
Captain Lei shouted: "This war is destined to be inevitable. We cannot escape. Today we escaped. Tomorrow our children will carry guns and fight the enemy desperately. This is not allowed, and it is even more unacceptable."
Possibly, I would rather suffer more for myself than for my children to suffer!"
"Good days are created by ourselves! Today, we will use the guns in our hands to create a good life!"
Ma Daguo shouted: "I'm not afraid of the American devils who care about Te Niang. If you have anything, just come and scream in pain. I'm not Ma Shunyao!"
Chen Lie was very calm: "No matter how strong the American devils are, they are still human beings. They can be sent away with one shot. It's not a big deal. They are just well-equipped. Without such good equipment, they are just a bunch of pigs and sheep waiting to be slaughtered. Just follow them."
Just do it, and even if we die, we will be a hero."
Xia Yuan didn't have so many heroic words. His eyes were calm and he said simply and rudely: "Just do it!"
Instructor Shao said: "Yes, just do it. If the American devils dare to invade our motherland, then we must show them some shame."
He glanced at his watch and said: "There are still two hours left before the battle starts, get ready!!"
"yes!"
Compared with the tight time, the combat mission is the most difficult. The 180th Division has been training in the defense zone since entering North Korea. I have only heard some veterans talk about the US military's powerful firepower and weak infantry, but they have not yet truly interacted with the US military.
There was only one encounter, and Li Qiwei misjudged that the center of gravity of the Volunteer Army might be on the central front, and sent a reconnaissance unit to conduct reconnaissance at the Third Corps station in the central area, hoping to find out the Volunteer Army's defense situation on the central front.
Only one reconnaissance platoon entered the camp of the 1st Battalion and 1st Company of the 538th Regiment of the 180th Division, and the 1st Company fought with them.
In addition, the 180th Division has basically no experience fighting the US military. This is such a difficult battle.
There are three highlands in front of the company, and the troops stationed there may not be a battalion. To be cautious, the number of U.S. troops on the three highlands is designated as one battalion. The battle plan of the first company is very simple. Treat the three highlands as nails, one by one.
Root removal.
The platoon led by Xia Yuan quickly entered the battle site. Their first platoon was a company of sharp knife platoons. They would attack from the front where the enemy had the strongest firepower. The third platoon was their reserve team, and the second platoon was to pass through and circle around the enemy.
Attack from the side of the enemy. According to the time agreement, the battle should not exceed two hours. Once the US troops on the other two highlands come to reinforce, the situation will be unfavorable to the first company.
The 1st Battalion, 2nd Company and 3rd Company will attack other highlands.
On May 16th, the cold winter was over and the weather was gradually getting warmer.
On the land of North Korea, the Volunteer Army troops were making rapid detours. On the same day, the Third Corps and the Ninth Corps arrived at the departure area for the eastern front attack.
Everything is ready.
Eighteen o'clock.
The sun sets over the Western Mountains, and the earth falls into darkness.
When everything is silent.
Suddenly, there was a sharp whistling sound from up and down the sky. It was the Volunteer Army's artillery fire that began to vent on a large scale towards the enemy's defense line. The piercing screams continued in the sky. The third and ninth corps quickly attacked, interspersed.
Detouring, dividing and encircling them, right in front of them were Rhee Syngman's five divisions of the Korean army. Facing the unprecedented artillery fire from the volunteers, they were directly blinded. After a full hour of artillery fire, the enemy's position had already been bombed.
So messy.
The communication command of the Han 7th Division in front of the Ninth Corps was completely destroyed, the road was blown up, the fortifications were swept away, and the position was in a mess. The artillery of the Han 7th Division retreated thirteen kilometers continuously before the volunteer infantry could launch an attack. As a result,
They retreated too far, causing the artillery shells to fail to hit the front line of the volunteers, and they withdrew from the battle prematurely. The anxious commander of the Seventh Division of Han wanted to organize his troops to hold on on the spot, but found in despair that the Korean army was under the fierce artillery fire of the volunteers.
It was a complete mess. Commanders at all levels could not even contact their own troops. The troops sent to the front line for reinforcements were dispersed by deserters as soon as they came up.
With the defeat of the 7th Han Division, the 3rd Han Division and the 9th Han Division quickly collapsed. Less than three hours after the battle began, the three South Korean divisions on the front of the United Nations Army's eastern front began a desperate retreat. However, an even more desperate
News is still waiting for them.
The Volunteer Army has cut off the Korean Army's retreat route and has completely surrounded the Korean Third Division and the Korean Ninth Division. In order to break through the Volunteer Army's encirclement network, the commander of the Korean Third Army Corps personally supervised the battle and ordered the three battalions to fight to the death to capture the Volunteer Army's blocking position.
As a result, the 1st and 2nd Battalions bypassed their positions and fled. Their flight without a fight was like a toppling domino, triggering a total chaos among the Korean army. Looking around, the mountains and plains were full of Korean troops fleeing by their own way.
.
The volunteers of the Ninth Corps became more and more courageous as they fought, and actually staged a large-scale pursuit, which was unprecedented.
And this gradual progress was only the first three hours of the second phase of the fifth battle. The defeat of the Korean army was something that even the commander-in-chief of the Volunteer Army could not predict.
Just as the volunteers of the Ninth Corps were chasing the Third Han Division, and the Ninth Korean Division was chasing and beating them fiercely, the Third Corps in the middle also launched an attack on the U.S. troops in front, annihilating four battalions of the U.S. Army, the French Army, and the first Korean Army. However, due to the U.S. Army
Their firepower was ferocious, and their fighting will was unmatched by the Korean army. The front line was unable to advance too far.
Even so, with the defeat of the Korean army, the Volunteer Army completely opened up a new situation on the eastern front battlefield.
Ten minutes after the start of the second phase of the fifth battle, at the 180th Division command post, under the dim oil lamp, the huge map was covered with dense dots. The positions of the enemy and ourselves were clearly marked. According to the situation,
Change, the little flag is constantly changing its position.
Commander Zheng turned his back to everyone and was looking at the map. Just yesterday, he and other people in the division made the deployment that the 538th and 539th regiments were the first echelon, and the 540th regiment was the second echelon.
, he is now anxiously waiting for each regiment to report on the combat situation, and if there is any situation, he will make adjustments immediately.
The 180th Division finally had a battle to fight, but the atmosphere in the command post was not only slightly excited, but also more tense. It was not fear, but they did not dare to neglect. Everyone's nerves were tense with the situation on the front line.
.
Chief of Staff Wang said: "The 1st Battalion and 1st Company of the 538th Regiment on the front battlefield have launched an attack on Highland 311, 372 and 343. The 1st Battalion of the US Army is stationed above. The pressure is huge. Do we need to provide certain reinforcements...
..."
Deputy Division Commander Duan also said: "All the commanders and fighters of the 540th Regiment are asking for battle. They want to carry out their mission. Now is the time when the will to fight is high."
Commander Zheng said solemnly: "The 540th Regiment cannot move. The combat tasks of each unit are very heavy. If the 540th Regiment is sent up, then the 60th Army will not have any reserve troops. The ones who will go up then will be the division headquarters.
Guard platoon and military guard company!”
Just before the war, the situation suddenly changed. The other two divisions of the Sixty Army, the 179th Division and the 181st Division, were temporarily assigned to the Twelfth Army and the Fifteenth Army. Only the Sixtyth Army remained on the front battlefield.
The 180th Infantry Division.
In the history of our army's combat operations in the past, it was quite normal for the army structure to change with the changes in the battlefield. However, the current problem is that the central front only has the 60th Army and the 180th Infantry Division.
He fought five or six times the enemy's U.S. Tenth Army.
The U.S. Tenth Army is a group army with more than 50,000 people. It has mechanized troops, a large number of tanks, armored vehicles, hundreds of artillery pieces, and complete equipment.
The 180th Division is just an infantry division with about 14,000 men. The 180th Division only has one mountain artillery battalion, equipped with 24 mountain artillery. When the troops were attacking Taiyuan, they were in Yanxi Mountain.