If this were any other commander, he would probably kick the ball to his superiors immediately:
"The Japanese use gas bombs at night, and our army cannot fight them without gas masks!"
"Our army suffered massive casualties and requested to withdraw from Siping!"
…
These words seemed to be reporting the situation to superiors, but in fact they were shirking responsibility. What they actually wanted to say was: This battle was not a fault of the war, but the enemy used poison gas bombs and our army was not prepared for it.
If Ding Wei reported this, Wang Xuexin couldn't even refute it.
Because this is indeed a fact. Wang Xuexin was so busy making this and that that he actually forgot to make gas masks!
However, this cannot be said to be Wang Xuexin's negligence, because the gas mask is different from other equipment.
For example, if the Eighth Route Army has insufficient production of repeating rifles, it can centrally equip the limited repeating rifles with mechanized troops, or equip them with grassroots commanders at the main regiment platoon level and above.
This is also the case for half-track cars, tanks, etc. These equipment can be used intensively.
But are gas masks okay?
Gas masks are only equipped with mechanized troops?
Whether or not to use gas bombs or where to use gas bombs is in the hands of the devils. If the mechanized troops are equipped with gas masks, then the devils can choose not to use poison gas bombs on the mechanized troops and use them on other troops.
Therefore, gas masks must be equipped by the entire army if they are not equipped. If not, about one-third of the entire army must be equipped, that is, every unit fighting on the front line can have one, so that it can be effective.
At this time, the Eighth Route Army's industrial capabilities were simply unable to accomplish this.
Therefore, gas masks are put on the agenda again and again but are shelved again and again... In fact, it is not shelved but the inability to produce them. It is not a technical difficulty but a limitation of production capacity.
As a veteran, Ding Wei knows these reasons.
Therefore, he did not complain or shirk responsibility. He just reported the situation to Wang Xuexin truthfully, and then added: "Captain Wang, please rest assured, we can defend Siping!"
If Ding Wei said he could hold it, Wang Xuexin knew that he would be able to hold it.
And it's the kind of defense that can preserve one's own strength.
Among the leaders of the three mechanized troops, Li Yunlong is the most cunning and tricky at the tactical level. Kong Jie is a little less clever in strategy but is very determined in fighting. Ding Wei is able to solve problems at the strategic level, that is, in the general direction.
problem person.
Sure enough, Ding Wei soon thought of a solution.
Ding Wei ordered the artillery: "All three sets of artillery detection radars are turned on. Pay attention to detecting the position and movement of Japanese artillery. Once there is a direct trajectory of a light mortar, report it to your superiors immediately and give the coordinates!"
At the same time, Ding Wei immediately organized a poison gas early warning team.
The task of this team is to obtain the coordinates from the artillery detection radar, then find the location based on the coordinates, and then notify and organize the relevant areas to conduct anti-gas bombs as quickly as possible.
This turns passivity into initiative.
Even Wang Xuexin couldn't help but praise Ding Wei's move.
"Yes!" Wang Xuexin said: "Ding Wei knows the Japanese very well. He knows that gas bombs are fired by mortars and their ballistics are different from other artillery, so he can pick them out and take precautions!"
Chen Songyong said: "Commander, what if the Japanese use the 92 Infantry Artillery to mix with it to confuse our army?"
Chen Songyong's words make some sense, because the 92 Infantry Cannon can also be used as a mortar, and their ballistic ranges are even similar:
The longest range of the 92 Infantry Cannon is 2.7 kilometers.
The Type 94 mortar, a special gun used by the Japanese to launch poison gas bombs, has a maximum range of 3.8 kilometers.
When the two hit the air, it is difficult to tell which one is the Type 94 mortar just from the ballistics.
However……
Wang Xuexin said: "We can judge by whether there is an explosion sound. The shells fired by the 92 Infantry Cannon will explode, and the poison gas bombs will release smoke. As long as the communication is smooth and feedback is verified in time, we can immediately know which ones are poison gas bombs and which ones are not."
!”
Then Wang Xuexin added: "What's more, the Japanese have not yet realized that our army can accurately locate the location of their gas bombs!"
From this point of view, the Japanese will definitely regret that they used the Type 94 mortar as a special cannon for poison gas bombs. If they use larger-caliber grenades, can they be completely mixed in without being discovered?
For example, if howitzers of various calibers were fired at random, with only a few gas bombs mixed in, the Eighth Route Army would not be able to pick them out.
After knowing the location and area where the Japanese used gas bombs, the response can be targeted. This also makes it possible for the Eighth Route Army to fight the Japanese in the future, so Siping can be defended... This also shows the importance of intelligence to the war.
But this was only the beginning of the defensive battle in Siping, and then the Japanese launched a fire attack on Siping.
At that time, people's houses were generally made of civil structures, and some were even made of wooden houses that would be connected together when burned.
Therefore, fire attacks were the most deadly to Siping, especially when the Japanese used poisonous gas in combination with fire attacks, which made it difficult for the people to put out fires.
But Ding Wei still didn't panic. He gritted his teeth and ordered: "Fight the fire, and we must ensure the safety of the villagers no matter what!"
"Captain!" the staff officer said in embarrassment: "At the fire scene, there were not only poison gas released by the Japs, but also Japs wearing gas masks. They set fire while advancing under the cover of the gas. If the soldiers go up..."
"Then we have to go!" Ding Wei said with a dark face: "If we can't put out the fire, we'll get rid of those pig-faced devils first!"
"yes!"
An order is an order, and it must be executed as soon as it is given.
As a result, the Eighth Route Army split up and launched a counterattack against the Japanese who entered the city. Most of them simply tied a wet towel around their mouths and noses.
This scene made Yoshijiro Umezu feel incredible after receiving the intelligence. Because the imperial soldiers who entered the city were poisoned to protect themselves, logically they should not be blocked by the Eighth Route Army.
However, now we are not only blocked by the Eighth Route Army but also counterattacked?
"Aren't they afraid of poison gas?" Umezu Meijiro asked doubtfully: "Or is the concentration of the poison gas bomb not enough? What on earth is going on?"
In fact, it is not that the Eighth Route Army is not afraid of poison gas, nor is it that the concentration of the Japanese poison gas bombs is not enough, but that the Eighth Route Army soldiers risk their own lives to ensure the safety of the people.
Ding Wei's approach is not a sentimental approach, but a realistic approach.
He knew that if the war situation was allowed to develop like this, there would be only one result: Siping would be burned to ashes, and the Eighth Route Army and the people would suffer heavy casualties.
Or there is another result, that is, the Eighth Route Army abandoned the people and withdrew from Siping.
But this is impossible!
Therefore, Ding Wei had only one choice: to push forward regardless of the damage caused by the Japanese gas bombs!