The 1st Infantry Battalion of the Japanese Army is worthy of being a veteran elite transferred from the field division. Let’s not talk about its field combat capabilities. At least its ability to build field fortifications is absolutely outstanding. In less than two hours, the first
The 1st Infantry Brigade built a complete field fortification group on two small towers that were horns of each other.
In a valley far away from the battlefield, more than a hundred remaining soldiers of the Eighth Route Army were resting and reorganizing.
Peng Mingzhi and Lu Han were lying on a hill observing the battlefield through telescopes.
Lu Han put down his telescope and said to Peng Mingzhi: "Captain, these little devils are not simple."
"Does that need to be said?" Peng Mingzhi said, "These are elites transferred from the 1st Division!"
"It's really a bit elite." Lu Han nodded and said with deep approval, "Look at the field fortifications they built, whether it's the distribution of foxholes or the construction of light and heavy firepower points, they are clearly layered.
The strategy is clear and there will never be any blind spots for shooting. If the Baoshan Brigade wants to take the top of the mountain, the casualties will probably not be small."
Peng Mingzhi said: "The key is that it is not easy to build such a complete fortification group in such a short period of time."
Lu Han said: "Commander, how do you think the national army will fight in this battle?"
"A frontal attack will definitely not work." Peng Mingzhi said without hesitation, "If we attack from the front, even if all the Baoshan Brigade's 2,000 men are filled in, we may not be able to win the position. After all, the Japs also have more than 1,000 elite soldiers, and they have enough ammunition.
, and taking advantage of the terrain, we might be able to get air fire support, so this battle is really a bit uncertain."
Lu Han said: "Commander, do you think the national army will adopt soil work tactics?"
"Coil work?" Peng Mingzhi exclaimed, "Don't dream, this is not a plain, but a mountainous area! If you dig anywhere here, you will be able to dig out big rocks within three feet. How can you dig out soil?"
Work?"
"That's right." Lu Han scratched his head and said, "Then I really can't think of any other tricks."
"Let's see." Peng Mingzhi said, raising the telescope again, and said, "Since Yue Weihan dares to fight this battle, he must have someone to rely on. Won't we know everything when the fight starts?"
Lu Han stopped talking and then raised the telescope.
…………
Two hundred meters away, more than 1,500 surrendered troops from the Bayonet Battalion were also discussing the upcoming critical battle.
Speaking of which, the composition of the Shandong Puppet Army is relatively complex. Many of them are the backbone of the Puppet Jing'an Army transferred from the four eastern provinces, so the details of the 1st Infantry Brigade are quite clear.
A bearded squad leader of the surrendered army suddenly lowered his voice and said to the surrendered soldiers beside him: "Brothers, you heard what the fourth brother said is right. After the fight breaks out later, let's find an opportunity to run away. The national army is here."
We're going to suffer a big loss, because the 1st Infantry Brigade is a field elite transferred from the 1st Division, and it's very powerful."
"Fourth brother is right." Another surrender squad leader agreed softly, "Imagine back in Qinghe County, a single brigade of the 1st Infantry Brigade defeated Han Fuqu's two divisions. How majestic was that? There were only three to five hundred remaining soldiers of the Baoshan Brigade.
If we want to fight with the 1st Brigade to the death, we simply don’t know how to live or die. We may not be able to follow them to die, so we should leave as soon as possible."
"I can't see it." A soldier said disapprovingly, "What's so great about the 1st Division? Sakagaki Seishiro's 5th Division was not more impressive, and it was still known as the Steel Army. What was the result? In the end, the Baoshan Regiment was defeated first in Jiangpu.
We destroyed the Kunisaki detachment, and in Lunan we had the Baoshan Brigade destroy the Banmoto detachment, and even the old devil Sakagaki was killed."
"It's just that the Baoshan Brigade has not dealt with the elite Japs." Another soldier said, "Didn't you hear what those veterans are saying? Our Baoshan Brigade specializes in dealing with the elite Japs. They don't even bother to deal with ordinary little Japs. The 1st Infantry
If the brigade falls into the hands of our Baoshan Brigade this time, it will definitely be doomed."
The murmurs of the two puppet army squad leaders were quickly drowned out by a large number of rebuttals.
This was unimaginable before, but since all the officers above the platoon commander in the surrendered army were executed and replaced by veterans of the Baoshan Brigade as commanders, these soldiers who surrendered have gradually become bolder.
, and gradually dared to fight back against the instigation of those puppet squad leaders with evil intentions.
The two puppet army squad leaders were immediately furious and were about to lose their temper when the veteran platoon leader standing not far away suddenly turned his head and looked at them coldly, and then shouted sternly: "Shut up, everyone, don't make any noise.
!”
For a moment, the two puppet army squad leaders fell into silence, not even daring to fart any more.
…………
There is a small mountain peak five hundred meters away from the Japanese position.
The altitude of this small mountain peak is slightly higher than the two large mountains that the Japanese army fought for.
On the mountainside, Zhao Youting was leading a dozen snipers to find a suitable sniping position.
On the back of the mountain near the top of the mountain, the artillery battalion is secretly building a mortar position. This time, it obtained 6 mortars and 4 92 rifles from the Zouxian Arsenal, in addition to the original 12 mortars and 6
With 92 infantry guns, Niu Dagen's artillery battalion finally looked like a serious artillery battalion, unlike before, which was just a frame to strengthen the artillery battery at best.
Yue Weihan's temporary headquarters was built between two large rocks less than fifty meters away from the artillery position.
Hearing that Yue Weihan planned to launch a saturation bombardment of the Japanese troops on the two hills, Liu Yi immediately became anxious.
"Brigade, are you thinking about it again?" Liu Yi said with some heartache, "Although the number of artillery shells obtained from the Zouxian Arsenal this time is quite large, it is not enough to carry out a saturation bombardment of the Japanese army, right? This time
The days ahead are long, and there are many places where artillery will be used, so we can’t waste it casually.”
"No!" Yue Weihan shook his head and said, "This is not a waste!"
After saying this, Yue Weihan said again: "This battle is not only for the Eighth Route Army, but also for those surrendering troops, and even more for the little devils! In order to achieve the effect of inspiring friendly forces and deterring the enemy, it is
It is worthwhile to burn out all the artillery shells captured this time. If the artillery shells are gone, it’s a big deal to grab them again.”
"Huh?" Liu Yi said solemnly, "Prince, what do you mean...a demonstration?"
"That's right." Yue Weihan nodded heavily and said, "I want to use this battle to strengthen the confidence of those surrendering troops and make them wholeheartedly follow our Baoshan Brigade. I also want to use this battle to strengthen the fighting spirit of the Eighth Route Army, and even more...
Zhan warned the little devils that from now on the little devils would not dare to maneuver in the wild with a large force."
As soon as he finished speaking, Niu Dagen ran over panting, stood up at attention and said: "Brigade, the mortar position has been constructed, please give me instructions!"
Yue Weihan took out his pocket watch and looked at the time and said: "The bombardment will start in five minutes and last for forty minutes!"
"Yes!" Niu Dagen agreed and took the order.
Yue Weihan shouted to Li Yulong and Liu Tiezhu: "After the shelling begins, the bayonet battalion and the special operations brigade must enter the attack launch line within five minutes. As soon as the shelling stops, the bayonet battalion will attack the front of the Japanese army from the southern slope, and the special operations brigade will attack from the south."
Attack the Japanese command post between the two mountains on the northern cliff."
"Yes!" Li Yulong and Liu Tiezhu agreed and accepted the order.
…………
Five hundred meters away, the Japanese army position.
The two hills occupied by the Japanese army are connected in the middle.
There are cliffs on the north side of the two mountains, and dense thorn bushes on the east and west sides. There is no way to go. Only the gentle slope in the south can be used for the national army to charge. Therefore, the Japanese army placed all 12 heavy machine guns of the machine gun squadron on the south side. 4
The Type 92 infantry gun and its command post were placed between the two mountains, with a firing angle that could cover the entire southern gentle slope.
Seeing the field fortifications that had been constructed, Major General Nobu Mizuno couldn't help but feel reassured.
With the imperial army having this complete set of field fortifications, it is impossible for the Chinese army to win the position with infantry charges. Even if the Chinese army invests a division or even a corps, it will only increase the number of casualties. Unless
The Chinese army mobilized a large number of artillery, otherwise the imperial army would definitely win this battle.
Although the mortars and infantry guns stored in the Zouxian arsenal have fallen into the hands of the Chinese, Major General Mizuno Nobu is not too worried about this. In his opinion, these artillery are all Japanese-made equipment, and the Chinese
Whether it can be used or not is a question. Even if it can barely be used, how high can the quality of Chinese artillery be?
Major General Nobu Mizuno's 10th independent mixed brigade has been fighting in North China, so he lacks a clear enough understanding of the quality of the Baoshan Brigade artillery. If he had experienced the power of the Baoshan Brigade artillery, he would never be so optimistic.
We will never stubbornly place our troops on the top of the mountain.
The brigade chief of staff, Major Katamura, suddenly walked over, immediately put his feet back and stood at attention and said: "General!"
Mizuno Shin waved his hand and said: "What instructions does the General Army Headquarters have from the frontline command post?"
Major Katamura lowered his head suddenly and said: "General Suzuki has set off from Jining with four infantry brigades. The 116th Infantry Regiment and the 1st Independent Motorized Infantry Battalion have also set off from Zaozhuang. They will arrive at Zouzhuang in four hours at most.
County, in addition, His Excellency Xia Yuan Xiong Mi has led the 108th Division to set off south from Jinan."
"Huh?" Major General Nobu Mizuno changed his tone slightly, "The 108th Division also moved south from Jining?"
"Hai." Major Katamura lowered his head suddenly again and said, "General, as long as we can attract the Chinese army here, within four hours, the Chinese army will be surrounded by the imperial army! By then, even if Yue Weihan really has the power to reach the sky,
Even if we can, I’m afraid we can’t save the entire Baoshan Brigade from being destroyed.”
"Yo Xi." Major General Mizuno Nobu nodded happily, "Order, each squadron is not allowed to counterattack!"
Obviously, Major General Nobu Mizuno was worried that the imperial army's counterattack would dampen the confidence of the Chinese army. If the attack was too severe and the Chinese army lost confidence in attacking, and then turned around and fled, it would be a big deal.
Without any warning, a "boom, boom, boom" sound suddenly sounded from behind the hilltop five hundred meters away.
Major Katamura's face suddenly changed slightly, and he said to Major General Mizuno Nobu: "General, it sounds like the sound of an 81mm mortar!"
As soon as he finished speaking, more than a dozen grenades had landed at the front of the Japanese position. Amidst the continuous explosions, the front of the Japanese position was suddenly bombarded with mud, but the Japanese fortifications were unscathed. Major General Mizuno Nobu suddenly laughed out loud.
He smiled and said: "Hahaha, as expected, the Chinese artillery is just a bunch of rubbish!"