On November 8, the twenty-sixth year of the Republic of China (1937), the Japanese Tenth Army, which landed at Jinshanwei, headed northward under the leadership of Lieutenant General Yanagawa Heisuke and captured Songjiang. At this point, the two railways from Shanghai to the outside world were completely blocked.
The more than 70 main divisions of the Chinese army that had been cut off by the Japanese army and were holding on to the west effect of Shanghai were suddenly put into a desperate situation where they were attacked from both sides.
Chairman Chiang, who originally thought of holding on for a few more days, finally woke up from his dream and urgently ordered all units in the Songhu Theater to retreat immediately.
But at this time, the best opportunity to retreat had been lost. In addition, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Third War Zone, Gu Zhutong, had insufficient prestige, making it difficult to effectively suppress the various units of the national army. In the end, various group armies and divisions rushed to retreat.
Ten elite divisions were crowded on the only road from Shanghai to Nanjing. People were crowded and cars were bumping into each other, and the situation was completely out of control.
The Japanese bombers heard the news and bombed the highway indiscriminately. In addition, Japanese spies infiltrated the national army and continued to create chaos. This hasty retreat eventually led to a great rout. Nearly 100,000 brave soldiers
The soldiers of the national army did not fall on the front line under the heavy artillery fire, but they died extremely cowardly at the feet of their comrades and brothers!
At the same time that the main force of the national army was defeated across the board, the Baoshan Battalion's war of resistance in Sihang Warehouse also entered the most difficult stage.
On the night when all walks of life in Shanghai sent condolences and more than a hundred additional troops to the Sihang Warehouse, the 1st Brigade of the Jing'an Army of the Puppet Manchukuo State arrived at the Japanese forward position on the north side of the Sihang Warehouse. The next day, the Japanese 9th Division
The Tuanwaki Ban Regiment (36th Regiment), with the cooperation of the Puppet Manchukuo Army Yu Zhishan Brigade, launched a fierce attack on the Sihang Warehouse.
I have to admit that the commander of the Japanese 36th Regiment, Colonel Jiro Wakisaka, has quite high tactical literacy.
In the previous ten days of attacks, the Wakisaka Regiment did not go all out. Instead, they conducted feint attacks in a very targeted manner to consume the ammunition of the Chinese Army as much as possible while putting pressure on the concession authorities in order to win without a fight.
At this time, seeing that the plan to put pressure on the Chinese government through the concession and force the Chinese defenders to disarm and retreat failed, they adjusted their tactics again, blocking the connection between the Sihang Warehouse and the outside world with all their strength, and at the same time, with the cooperation of the puppet Jing'an Army
Launched a fierce attack on Sihang Warehouse.
In this round of attack, Jiro Wakisaka also creatively used a large number of "new tanks".
The so-called new tanks are actually nails with several millimeter-thick steel plates on the table boards and sides of many Eight Immortals tables. They suddenly become movable infantry fortresses. The light and heavy machine gun bullets of the national army cannot penetrate the steel plates at all. Only
Only the armor-piercing projectiles of anti-tank artillery can effectively destroy these simple infantry fortresses.
In addition, the Japanese army also mobilized a combat anti-artillery squadron to shoot against the Chinese army.
The so-called combat anti-tank gun is actually an anti-tank gun, which is mainly used to attack armored targets.
The Japanese army's 37mm combat anti-tank gun is an imitation of the German KWK36 anti-tank gun. Although its power is not comparable to the authentic products imported by the Chinese army from Germany, the armor-piercing explosive shells it fires are also very powerful. Moreover, the combat anti-tank gun
The direct fire of the gun can also pose a direct threat to the light and heavy machine guns in the concealed shooting holes!
As a result, the national army immediately suffered casualties, and the casualties of light and heavy machine guns and shooters were particularly heavy!
In the fierce fighting until the evening, four of Baoshan Battalion's original six Maxims were damaged, two of the nine Czechs were damaged, and three of the four Type 92s were damaged. The crooked handles of the six were intact, as were the machine gunner's
The losses were also extremely heavy. Niu Dagen's machine gun company originally had more than 60 people, but now there are only about 40 people left.
…………
The fourth floor of the warehouse, Baoshan Battalion Headquarters.
Two lanterns were hung on the wall, casting dim light into the empty hall. Yue Weihan was sitting quietly in the corner of the hall like a sculpture. Yue Weihan's face looked a little blue. The Anti-Japanese War in Sihang Warehouse had already begun.
There was a serious deviation from the history he knew well. Commander Xie Yuan's 524th Regiment only lost four people in battle until it retreated into the concession, while the Baoshan Battalion lost at least thirty brothers today just today!
However, the 524th Regiment led by Xie Yuan only held on to Sihang Warehouse for four days.
However, Yue Weihan and his Baoshan Battalion have been holding fast at Sihang Warehouse for more than ten days. The more than 70 main divisions of the national army in the Songhu War Zone are now defeated, but Baoshan Battalion is still standing like a mountain at Sihang Warehouse!
Amidst the heavy footsteps, First Company Commander Cao Xinglong, Second Company Commander Chi Chengfeng, Machine Gun Company Commander Niu Dagen, and Guard Platoon Leader Liu Tiezhu came to Yue Weihan hand in hand. Niu Dagen still had a bandage on his right shoulder. This afternoon, the Japanese war defense
An explosive shell from the cannon penetrated the wall and took away a layer of skin on his right shoulder, but fortunately no muscle or bone was injured.
"Yingzuo, it's not okay to go on like this." Cao Xinglong said.
"His grandma, the little Japanese's anti-aircraft artillery is so powerful." Chi Chengfeng also said.
Niu Dagen also said: "We must find a way to camp, otherwise our machine gun company will be completely destroyed."
"What are you calling?" Yue Weihan frowned and asked Liu Tiezhu, "Zhuzi, what are the casualties of the brothers?"
"The casualties have been calculated." Liu Tiezhu nodded and said sadly, "A total of thirty-nine people were killed in the whole battalion, seventeen were seriously injured, and about sixty were slightly injured, but it is not a problem. Also,
The vast majority of those killed or seriously injured were recruits and brothers from the heavy machine gun platoon."
Yue Weihan nodded silently, feeling quite sorry in his heart.
War has its own laws, and they are absolutely cruel and ruthless laws. On the battlefield, the ones who die the most and fastest are always the recruits. Due to the lack of psychological adaptation process, the recruits who have just stepped onto the battlefield will always instinctively
If the person is slow to react and behaves at a loss, the chance of death will be greatly increased.
However, Yue Weihan had no time to take care of these recruits now, and immediately asked: "How is the tunnel digging going?"
Liu Tiezhu scratched his head and said with some uncertainty: "It must be more than a hundred meters, right? But now the excavation speed is much slower than at the beginning, because it will take a long time to transport the soil excavated in front.
And it’s really stuffy inside, so the brothers won’t be able to stay there for long before they have to come out for air, which is too troublesome.”
Yue Weihan said coldly: "No matter how difficult it is, we have to dig, and we must speed up the progress as much as possible!"
After saying this, Yue Weihan added: "But it is indeed a problem that it is too stuffy inside. In this case, I will discuss with Mr. Yang later to see if he can find a way to get us a few bottles of oxygen from the hospital in the concession."
Liu Tiezhu said: "If we can really get oxygen, the remaining hundreds of meters can definitely be dug within ten days."
"There is something else we need to pay attention to." Yue Weihan suddenly reminded, "Now the tunnel is close to the Japs headquarters. If it is too quiet at night, the Japs are likely to hear the noise underground, so your guard platoon will go out from time to time.
We need to use cold guns and cold guns, make as much noise as possible, and don't let the little devils get too comfortable."
"Yes." Liu Tiezhu straightened his chest suddenly and said loudly, "I'll make arrangements right away."
Yue Weihan then said to Cao Xinglong, Chi Chengfeng and Niu Dagen: "The Japs have improved their tactics, and our tactics must also be adjusted accordingly. From tomorrow on, the anti-war artillery should no longer shoot against the Japs. The Japs'
The artillerymen are well-trained, and they will move their positions after firing one shot, which will make it impossible to kill them. Besides, we don’t have many artillery shells. The remaining dozen or so shells have to be used to deal with the Japs’ tanks. As for their soil
Tank', when it gets close, use cluster grenades to explode!"
"All the remaining light and heavy machine guns in the machine gun company have been moved to the bottom floor. When the Japs attack, try to use the Japs infantry and 'earth tanks' to block the firing range of the Japs anti-aircraft artillery. The sub-shooters of each machine gun must also pay attention at all times. Once a shot is fired,
If any point is exposed within the range of enemy anti-Japanese artillery fire, move it immediately."
"Hey, this is a good idea, why didn't I think of it?" Niu Dagen slapped his thigh suddenly.
"Grandma, why don't you be the company commander when someone else is the camp leader?" Chi Chengfeng slapped Niu Dagen on the forehead and said sarcastically, "If you can imagine that, wouldn't you also be the camp commander?"
Are you seated?"
"Chi!" Niu Dagen immediately covered his head and said angrily, "Why did you hit me again?"
"Ouch, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Grandpa Niu." Chi Chengfeng said awkwardly, "Be quick, I can't stop it."
"Go, go, go, get out of here!" Yue Weihan waved his hand angrily, "Go to the other side, get out of there as far as you can!"
Cao Xinglong and the other two people immediately ran away, each going about his or her own business. Only then did Yue Weihan go up to the fifth floor and arrive at the temporary military supplies warehouse of Baoshan Camp. The Japanese had launched a massive attack early this morning, and the blockade was also tightened on the Suzhou River. Yue Weihan had not been there since.
I didn't care enough to escort the photographer back, so I simply stayed behind to serve as quartermaster for the time being.