With the stalemate on the battlefield in Linyi, the sand ridge took on an eerie silence. More than 10,000 Japanese troops and more than 5,000 officers and soldiers of the 300 Brigade, including new reinforcements, faced off in a strange way on the sand ridge.
However, this confrontation was not lifeless, but quite interesting. The Japanese army, which had always been arrogant, was uncharacteristically cowering on the sand ridge, while the national army's offensive was very fierce.
In fact, it is not accurate to say that it was violent, because the 300 Brigade did not launch an attack with infantry, but only used artillery to continuously bombard the Japanese position. Although eight 105 howitzers and more than ten 120 mortars were very effective against the Japanese
The defense line of more than ten miles and the huge sand ridge were nothing. But it made the Japanese army very depressed. In the past few days, hundreds of Japanese soldiers had been killed by this cold-blooded attack.
Little life.
Although the results were impressive, this method of warfare was strongly protested by Liang Zhi and the artillery battalion commander Wang Dezi.
"Sir, we can't fight like this. No matter how many shells we have, we won't be able to fill this bottomless hole if it continues like this!"
"Yes, sir, our artillery battalion has fired ten shells in the past week. I know that you are good at making money. During this period, you also made a lot of money by buying and selling medicines, and you also have a good relationship with foreign companies.
But you can’t just ignore money.”
Yes, Liang Zhi and Wang Dezi felt distressed. These days, the trains from Xuzhou to Linyi brought truckloads of large-caliber artillery shells. Then Su Rui ordered Wang Dezi to throw almost all the artillery shells onto the sand ridge.
, five to six thousand artillery shells were used in the bombing in the past seven days. The barrels were also replaced several times. This kind of waste made Liang Zhi and Wang Dezi feel very distressed.
Suri was speechless for a while under the questioning of the two men. He couldn't tell them that these cannonballs don't need money to buy, so you can just shoot them.
Suri shrugged helplessly, "Well, since you have objections, let's stop worrying about it."
Wang and Liang both rolled their eyes. This host really doesn't use bean bags as dry food. Doesn't he know that one 105-caliber howitzer shell costs a poor family of three a year these days?
?
"Okay. This matter has been settled for now. Wang Dezi, you go and do your work first."
Su Rui waved his hand and dismissed Wang Dezi. After sending Wang Dezi away, Su Rui sat down on an ammunition box, took out cigarettes from his pocket and gave them to Liang Zhi. Then he lit one himself and took a long drag.
After one breath, the whole person became quiet.
Liang Zhi glanced at Su Rui. He also took out a match from his pocket and lit a cigarette. The two of them smoked silently. After a while, the entire war room began to fill with smoke.
Liang Zhi took a silent breath and then said: "Brigade, you have something on your mind these days, otherwise you wouldn't bombard the 5th Division and the 111th Brigade like rubbish. What are you worried about?
What?"
Su Rui did not answer immediately, but was silent for a while before replying: "The battle in Teng County started yesterday."
"Are you worried about Teng County?" Liang Zhi thought for a while and replied: "But since the 122nd Division, the 59th Army and several Sichuan troops are in Teng County, there should be no big problem, so why should you be so worried?
"
Su Rui smiled bitterly and shook her head, "I don't know why. Anyway, my heart just can't calm down. I always feel like something is going to happen in Teng County."
Historically, Zhang Zizhong's 59th Army was transferred to Linyi and fought with the 5th Division for a few battles before being completely crippled and unable to support Tengxian County anymore. This left the 1st, 2nd and 2nd Divisions to defend the city alone, which ultimately led to Tengxian County.
The county fell, and Li Zongren had to fight a decisive battle with the Japanese army in Taierzhuang. But in this time and space, many situations have changed because of Su Rui's arrival. Will this Xuzhou battle also be affected by his arrival?
And what about change?
Su Rui didn't know this, but he was still very worried, because Su Rui knew that he was a small brigade commander. He was just an insignificant little chess piece in the national army of millions of troops. His pair of
Wings are not enough to stir up enough wind to change such a huge battle that determines the fate of hundreds of thousands of people.
The current situation is like this. Even if he performs well, he can only hold Linyi. But as long as the Japanese army breaks through Teng County, everything he has done here will be in vain, and the Isotani Division will still follow the historical path of blocking
Heading straight to Taierzhuang, everything he did here would be in vain.
After listening to Su Rui's words, Liang Zhi did not speak, but took a deep breath of cigarette. After holding it for a while, a long line of smoke appeared. After a while, he said: "Sir, there are some things that are not yours or mine."
What can be changed, let alone a small brigade commander, so what if Commander Li is the commander of the theater? He is still struggling in this maelstrom like a chess piece. The only way we can
All you have to do is try your best to do your part. As for who will win between Japan and China in the future, and what the fate of our descendants will be, only God knows."
Looking at Liang Zhi, who had a rare misty look in his eyes, Su Rui couldn't help but reveal the "secret" and said: "Don't worry, little Japan will surrender to us, and it will be an unconditional surrender."
The muscles on Liang Zhi's face moved a few times to express his surprise: "Oh, why are you so sure, sir?"
Su Rui said with certainty: "This is for sure, China will win and Japan will lose!"
"hehe……"
Liang Zhi shook his head, obviously taking Su Rui's words as comfort to him.
Su Rui saw it and had no intention of blaming him. After all, this was the time when the Japanese military was at its peak. Since the July 7th Incident, in just half a year, China had lost cities and territory one after another, and most of the coastal areas had fallen.
In the past few months, even the capital Nanjing was lost. Now the military and civilians across the country are enveloped in an atmosphere of failure. Although Liang Zhi is definitely good at making plans, he does not have such great courage and vision in terms of big strategies.
After all, not everyone has the strategic vision of a great man or military strategist like Jiang Baili.
After a while, Su Rui asked again: "Ziran, is there any news from home (the left-behind logistics office in Xuzhou)?"
"It's nothing serious. Everything is fine at home." Liang Zhi shook his head, obviously he didn't get any news.
"That's good."
After Suri finished speaking, he flicked his fingers skillfully, and a finished cigarette butt flew out of the door in an arc.
He then turned back to Liang Zhi and said, "Ziran, I plan to withdraw the troops to Linyi County tonight. What do you think?"
"Withdraw to Linyi County?"
Liang Zhi was slightly surprised at first, then thought about it and then asked slowly: "Sir, are you worried that Teng County will fall?"
"Not only that!" Su Rui said solemnly: "I am also worried that the Japanese army will reinforce the Fifth Division and the 111th Brigade in Shaling here. It does not need to be reinforced too much, even if it is just a field artillery regiment.
, he can launch an attack on us again, and we have to retreat to Linyi to rearrange our defense lines."
Liang Zhi nodded. The biggest weakness of the 300th Brigade now is that it has too few troops. Even though the light weapons firepower is much stronger than that of the Japanese army, it still has to retreat under the fierce attack of the Japanese army that has a numerical advantage. Now.
Therefore, they were able to surround the Fifth Division and the 111th Brigade and fight fiercely because of their artillery advantage. Without this advantage, they would never dare to surround the Japanese army so arrogantly.
"This should happen sooner rather than later." Liang Zhi nodded. Whether it was the fall of Teng County or the Japanese reinforcements, they would have to retreat. But this kind of thing is very likely to happen. If such a thing really happens,
Sakagaki Seishiro would never let them leave so arrogantly.
Seeing that Liang Zhi also agreed to his plan, Su Rui nodded and said: "Then it's settled, we will withdraw tonight."
"good!"
Just when Su Rui and Liang Zhi were discussing retreating, the war in Teng County also began in earnest. The 45th Army took Teng County as its base and fought with the Japanese Army in Xiangcheng, Jiushan, Wangfuzhuang, and Jinshan to the east and west of the boundary river.
The Tenth Division launched a fierce battle. After three days of fierce fighting, the Forty Army had to retreat while fighting due to excessive casualties, and retreated to the vicinity of Teng County. Finally, it was ordered to return to Xuzhou to rest. In this way, the peripheral positions near Teng County were
Declare all lost.
At this time, the 122nd Division and the 59th Army of the Sichuan Army stationed in Teng County also formally engaged the Japanese army. The battle was extremely fierce from the beginning. The Japanese army used dozens of tanks, more than 50 artillery pieces and aircraft.
Under the cover of the enemy, they stormed the city wall of Tengxian County.
Although the city wall of Teng County was strong, many gaps still appeared under the bombardment of the Japanese large-caliber heavy artillery. The Japanese army took the opportunity to charge towards the gap. At this time, fortunately, Zhang Zizhong, commander of the 59th Army, personally led a brigade of troops as a mobile
The troops launched a counterattack against the Japanese troops who were pouring in from many gaps, and the Japanese troops were driven out at a huge cost.
In the early morning of March 18th, Zhang Zizhong and Wang Bingxun each led a suicide squad out of the city to conduct a night attack on the Japanese army. They killed and wounded more than a thousand Japanese soldiers and caused heavy damage to the Japanese army. They continued to kill for several hours until it was almost dawn.
Then he returned to Teng County.
The shocked Rensuke Isotani was so angry that he ignored the orders of the base camp a few days ago and fired poison gas bombs at the defenders of Teng County as soon as it became dark, causing heavy damage to the defenders of Teng County who were caught off guard. The Japanese army
Then they took the opportunity to launch an attack on the Dongcheng Dongguan position. At 8:50 in the morning, the Dongcheng Dongguan position was lost. Japanese troops took the opportunity to pour into Tengxian County in a steady stream.
Zhang Zizhong and Wang Bingzhang saw that it was necessary to defend Teng County to the death, so they sent a request to the commander of the theater to retreat. After weighing the pros and cons, Commander Li agreed to Zhang and Wang's request.
In this way, Teng County officially fell on March 18, and the Japanese army broke through the north gate of Xuzhou...
ps: Thank you jerryw1975 and two Chinese Sword book friends for their tips. Thank you.