He did it completely unintentionally by blowing up the enemy's hoard of artillery shells. His original intention was to blow up an enemy truck. He didn't expect that the US military would be so stupid. After experiencing so many night attacks by volunteers, these foreign devils actually
I don't have a long memory yet, so I still hoard the shells in one place.
This time it's good, it's all served in one pot.
"Old Duan is right. Whether it is blocking the US 24th Division and delaying them for such a long time, or blowing up the enemy's accumulated artillery shells, it is good news for our 180th Division. You have done an outstanding job.
Mission accomplished.”
Commander Zheng continued: "The loss of the City God's Hall was expected and unavoidable. You don't have to blame yourself too much. Besides, you also protected a force, Yingfeng's."
"Yingfeng has not been lost. When I came over, I heard gunshots coming from the direction of Yingfeng. I just don't know how long they can hold on."
Xia Yuan pondered and said: "Commander, go and support them. If Yingfeng holds on, we still have a chance. This is our last route to retreat."
Deputy Commander Duan opened his mouth, but Commander Zheng stopped him with his hand, and then said: "Old Li."
"Teacher."
Not long after Lao Li arrived, he finished reporting on the casualties of the 539th Regiment.
"What are the casualties of the 539th Regiment?" Commander Zheng asked.
"It's not optimistic. So far, one of the 539th Regiment has been killed..." Lao Li told Commander Zheng about the casualties of the 539th Regiment. He also knew that after Commander Zheng listened to it again, it was obvious that this time
This is for the little comrade in front of me.
More than 2,000 of the 539th Regiment were killed, retired due to injuries, and disappeared across the river. There were only less than 1,000 troops left to continue fighting.
And this is just the 539th Regiment.
The first battalion of the 538th Regiment has been basically defeated, and the entire company has been wiped out. How many remaining troops can continue to fight?
The only one that is well preserved is the 540th Regiment.
After listening, Xia Yuan remained silent and sacrificed two-thirds of his regiment.
Commander Zheng said: "You are just too inexperienced. Your idea is good, but you have not considered the reality. The only force available to the division headquarters is one guard squad. We cannot support Yingfeng and can only rely on them."
"But Eagle Peak is lost..."
"We don't have any choice."
Master Zheng looked at Xia Yuan and said solemnly.
At this moment, Xia Yuan understood the situation of the 180th Division. The enemy was too powerful. Even if he resisted for half a day, the 180th Division had gone through a major war, and after continuous battles, lack of ammunition and food,
The critical value has been reached, and they can only defend in place.
"Xia Yuan, come and see."
Chief of Staff Wang took out a stick and pointed at a point on the map. "If you want to reinforce Yingfeng, you need to pass through the enemy's defense area. Currently, the Jiguanshan position is fiercely contested by the 540th Regiment and the two US divisions.
The 39th Regiment and the 538th Regiment are responsible for the security of the left and right sides of the division headquarters. The opening cannot be opened. Once it is opened, the enemy will go straight through the heart."
"Moreover, even if reinforcements are sent, it will be difficult to fight across such a long distance. We need to pass through the enemy's blockade, and the number of US troops on these blockades is two divisions."
Xia Yuan opened his mouth and felt a sense of powerlessness in his heart.
It turns out that the prophet cannot play a role in a division-level battle. Even if he knew the fate of the 180th Division, he could not change it.
Individual power is too small in the face of war.
Even if he blows up the enemy's artillery positions, works hard to seize supplies, and tries every means to tell Commander Zheng about the situation of the 180th Division, what is destined to happen cannot be changed.
"Teacher, I..."
Xia Yuan lowered his head.
Mr. Zheng is right when he says that he lacks experience.
The things I thought about were so wonderful that I thought that all the volunteer soldiers could be like him, blocking a hundred enemies with one company, and blocking an enemy division with one company. After all, they are just ordinary people. How can they have such a powerful force?
What's more, we are still facing a U.S. division of tens of thousands of people.
"You don't have to blame yourself. This is something you must go through on the road to growth. In fact, your decision is not wrong and correct. Whether it is the US 24th Division attacking Chenghuangtang or Zhiyanli, their attacks have been affected.
It’s a big obstacle.”
Commander Zheng stood up, looked at the position of the 24th US Division on the map, and said: "Our mission is to hold off the enemy. The US 24th Division occupied Chenghuang Hall later than originally planned. This shows that you
The mission is accomplished.”
The division commander's voice became heavy again: "There is no war without sacrifice. Whoever is sent to stop the US 24th Division is a fatal mission. Who to send? You helped me make a choice, so that I don't need to
I’m struggling with this matter. They say commanders are cold-blooded. Their orders require countless soldiers to sacrifice their lives. This is wrong. We are also people of flesh and blood. Looking at the casualty reports sent to the division headquarters every day, my heart breaks.
It's bleeding, I feel bad."
"Master!"
Everyone looked at Mr. Zheng. This man who had always wanted to be strong in his life finally showed his weak side to everyone.
Even Deputy Commander Duan found it incredible.
"As the commander of the 180th Division, I must stand up straight. The four divisions are eyeing us. How dare I take it lightly."
Commander Zheng looked at everyone, then turned to look at Xia Yuan, and said: "You will be a qualified commander in the future, but what you lack is battlefield experience. It just so happened that your leg was also injured, so you stayed in the division.
Come on, study more and see more."
This time, Xia Yuan did not refuse, but nodded very seriously.
"The enemy has surrounded us, and the situation is not optimistic."
Chief of Staff Wang pointed to the map and began to introduce to Xia Yuan the current difficulties faced by the 180th Division.
The 540th Regiment is competing with the US military for Jiguan Mountain.
The 539th Regiment held Jiuchi Dai Mountain and nearby areas.
The 538th Regiment blocked the pursuing troops. The three regiments formed a triangular formation on three sides of the division headquarters. Chief of Staff Wang said: "We have controlled each mountain pass, but the control time will not be too long. If you bomb
Destroy the enemy's accumulated artillery shells so that the enemy's heavy artillery cannot cover the high ground we occupy. If the enemy brings in heavy artillery and covers the high ground with artillery fire, it is estimated that these positions will fall very quickly."
Xia Yuan said: "Then go blow him up again!"
"No chance." Chief of Staff Wang said: "The enemy will be on guard this time. It is impossible for you to blow up the enemy's artillery shells again."
Xia Yuan thought about it carefully, and it was indeed true.
Deputy Commander Duan said: "The task we have received now is to hold on for three to five days, and this is only the second day, and we have to hold on for three more days. If this trend continues, we will be defeated by the enemy in less than three days.
Total annihilation."
Master Zheng said: "Old Duan, don't be too pessimistic. The situation is not that bad yet."
He turned his gaze again and asked Xia Yuan: "You have a thorough view of the battlefield. If you have any opinions, you can say whatever you want."
Xia Yuan looked at the map. On the map were the flags of the US Army and the Korean Army, as well as flags representing the three infantry regiments. After thinking about it, based on historical development, there was actually nothing much to say.
The 540th Regiment and the U.S. Army are competing for Jiguan Mountain. Since the U.S. Army can free up their hands to seize Jiguan Mountain, this means that the U.S. Army has already attacked Zhiyanli. If they want to retreat from Yingfeng, they need to open this road. Now it seems that basically
is unlikely.
Xia Yuan had a deeper idea. Now that he had joined the division headquarters, he would risk everything to prevent the 180th Division from retreating from Yingfeng when the military headquarters issued an order. This road was no longer feasible.
"Division commander, let the defenders of Yingfeng retreat. Send out scouts to tell them to retreat to Shicangli now."
"Huh?"
Commander Zheng was obviously stunned for a moment. Unexpectedly, Xia Yuan was actually concerned about the defenders of Yingfeng, "Have you thought of a better retreat route?"
"Division Commander, in less than three days, the US military will not give us such a long time. It is estimated that tomorrow, the US military will occupy the retreat cave and this road will be blocked."
Based on his understanding of the fate of the 180th Division, Xia Yuan told Commander Zheng the idea of the two routes in advance, which could be regarded as laying the groundwork for the next order issued by the military headquarters. He said: "If I were the commander of the army,
The first thing I will consider is to retreat from the direction of Dongdongli to Mapingli after completing the three-day blocking mission. But there is another question to consider, that is, whether the US 24th Division has Zhiyanli and Mapingli.
Occupy both places."
In fact, there is another key, and that is the restoration of communications between the 180th Division and the Third Corps. The military headquarters did issue a retreat order to the 180th Division, but not long after the order was issued, the 180th Division was still rushing to retreat from the cave.
On the way there, communication with the Third Corps was restored, and the Third Corps ordered the 180th Division to stop the attack on the spot.
Xia Yuan also needs to consider this factor. He said: "But if the situation of friendly forces on all fronts can be taken into account, and if there are still troops on the eastern front that have not yet retreated, I will continue to order the 180th Division to stay here to contain the enemy.
Until all Eastern Front troops are safely evacuated."
The Third Corps had already seen the enemy's movements and made countermeasures in advance.
The US 24th Division will attack Hwachuan along the route from Chiam-ri to Maping-ri. The 1st Marine Division will occupy Chunchuan and attack Hwachuan. The US 7th Division will lose the target of the 180th Division and will also attack from Hwachuan.
Retreat from Dongli-Mapingli and follow the US 24th Division to attack Huachuan and Shicangli.
Huachuan is the lifeline of the Ninth Corps' westward retreat.
This lifeline is occupied by the enemy. The US 24th Division, the US 7th Division, the 1st Marine Division, and the Korean 6th Division will block the Ninth Corps on the eastern front.
The fate of the 180th Division has been determined long ago.
So this path won't work.
Only Commander Zheng in the division knew the meaning of Xia Yuan's words, which was why he strongly advocated staying.
Ninth Corps.
The 180th Division bears the fate of the Ninth Corps. If it were to withdraw, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Continue." Master Zheng said nothing and signaled Xia Yuan to continue.
"If the mission of assisting our neighbors in retreating is completed, and the road from Dongli to Mapingli is blocked by the enemy, I will definitely order the 180th Division to break out in the direction of Yingfeng."
What Xia Yuan said was to look at the problem completely from the perspective of the military headquarters. This idea of empathy was very novel to everyone in the division. In the past, they would often put themselves into the enemy's perspective and think, what if
I am the enemy, what will I choose?
But he directly brought it into the perspective of the military to look at the problem.
Everyone stood in front of the map and listened very carefully. Following Xia Yuan's voice, they gradually entered the perspective of the military headquarters and issued orders to the 180th Division from the perspective of the military headquarters.
They studied it carefully, and no one refuted it. From the perspective of the military headquarters, there were only two ways to go before the 180th Division.
One way is to retreat into the cave, and the other is to Yingfeng.
"To retreat from Yingfeng, the 179th Division will also need to be used. Send them up to meet us." Deputy Commander Duan interrupted, raised his head and asked, "It seems that there are only these two ways."
The current battle is getting more and more difficult. They not only have to consider how the 180th Division can stop the enemy, but also how to break through to complete the mission.
"But, what if the order conveyed by the military headquarters is not timely?"
Xia Yuan raised another question and said: "The military headquarters is in Shicang. On the one hand, it has to issue orders to us, and on the other hand, it has to issue orders to the 179th Division. This process takes time, but every minute, the situation on the battlefield changes.
They are all different. It may take several hours for the order issued by the military headquarters to reach our hands. During this period, a lot of things can happen."
Everyone looked at each other again, but they didn't expect Xia Yuan to even consider the timeliness of the order.
"Division Commander, I suggest that the military headquarters' order to retreat does not necessarily need to be adhered to. If the 179th Division wants to meet us, they need to pass through the defense zone of the US 24th Division. They will be blocked by the enemy halfway. It is possible that one day,
We can't make it in two days, and on the way to Eagle Peak, the US military's defense line requires us to break through. How many people do we have left when we get to Eagle Peak?"
Xia Yuan continued: "Yingfeng Mountain is high and steep, there are not many places to defend, and the roads are very wide. The US military only needs to surround Yingfeng without attacking. We don't need to be eliminated by the enemy, we will be eliminated by ourselves first."
.”
Everyone frowned. In fact, they had thought about this problem a long time ago. Even Master Zheng had mentioned this problem, but no one took it seriously because at that time, the situation of the 180th Division was still very good, and
Now, they have retreated to the north of the Han River, and the situation has not improved with their retreat. This issue was raised by Xia Yuan, and everyone had to re-examine this issue.
"It's not absolute. Any situation can happen. What you said is just one of them."
Chief of Staff Wang thought over and over again and said: "If the military department really issued this order, then they must have considered many issues, more comprehensively than we have to consider. Any order issued will be carefully and carefully considered.
"
Obviously, everyone has unconditional trust in the orders issued by the military.
Trust, this word, runs through the life of every volunteer soldier.