The Japanese attacked the Seventh Company's position one after another like a tide.
The target of their attack was obvious, which was the hill where the Seventh Company was stationed.
The tactics are simple and direct. Small units are used to harass in other directions, while the main force storms to the east. Tanks and armored vehicles no longer attack directly, but serve as fire cover units on the periphery.
This style of play is very effective because the hills are not high. The Japanese tanks and armored vehicles can circle the hills two hundred meters away to find favorable positions and angles to provide fire cover for the Japanese infantry... In this way, the hills do not exist.
There are enemy tanks and armored vehicles on the reverse slope and in the blind spot, in front, behind and on the flanks.
The 37mm main gun of the Type 95 tank, the 47mm main gun of the Type 97 tank, as well as the machine guns on the armored vehicles and tanks fired at the hills indiscriminately, leaving only smoke and dust everywhere on the hills, making it look like a boiling mess.
Like a pot of porridge.
But the Eighth Route Army had nothing to do with these tanks and armored vehicles that always kept a distance... They were outside the range of the rocket launchers. If they wanted to destroy them, they could only launch an attack, but this was almost courting death.
Xie Baoqing's face was smeared with dust and blood. When he ran up to him, Wang Xuexin almost couldn't recognize him.
"Company Commander!" Xie Baoqing reported anxiously: "The third platoon suffered heavy casualties and is about to be unable to withstand it!"
Xie Baoqing was used by Wang Xuexin to strengthen the command of the third platoon.
This was not because Wang Xuexin was less trustworthy than Zhang Qingcai, but because the hill where the third platoon was stationed was the focus of the Japanese attack, and the company headquarters needed to strengthen coordination.
Wang Xuexin thought for a moment and then decisively issued the order: "The third platoon puts the enemy back, and the first and second platoons push forward. The third platoon will counterattack according to the situation. Do you understand?"
"Understood!" Xie Baoqing responded, turned around with the box of cannons and ran towards the third row's position.
The outstanding performance of Xie Baoqing's soldiers from Heiyun Village far exceeded Wang Xuexin and Li Yunlong's expectations.
Wang Xuexin always thought that bandits should bully the weak and fear the strong... He couldn't beat the Japanese but was good at bullying the common people, so he became a bandit.
Or maybe they only care about profit...for money, for wealth, or for women, so they become bandits.
Because of these two bad qualities, even if they are recruited, there will inevitably be problems with fear of death or discipline.
But Xie Baoqing and the others were desperate for their lives on the battlefield.
One day when Wang Xuexin mentioned this matter to Xie Baoqing at the wine table, Xie Baoqing, who was half drunk and half awake, burped and waved his hand and replied: "Who... who says it's not the case? If people don't do it for themselves... they will be punished by heaven and earth.
, who has been a bandit without selfish motives? Ask
The question is... We have something more important than "Heaven and Earth", and that is the word "righteousness". Isn't there a saying called "righteousness"? In the face of loyalty, selfishness can be counted as nothing, and we have done all kinds of bad things.
If you don’t show loyalty, you won’t be considered a human being!”
Then Xie Baoqing invited Wang Xuexin's shoulder and said: "Brother, we are not doing this because of the 'three major disciplines and eight points of attention'. We are doing this because you and the leader treat us as brothers! The independent group also
We are brothers! You all regard us as brothers, and we can’t let our brothers be embarrassed!"
(Note: The Three Major Disciplines and Eight Points of Attention are the code of conduct proposed in 1929)
After hearing this, Wang Xuexin didn't know how to evaluate it.
In short, the charlatanism of people like Xie Baoqing is the same as that of the Independent Group.
The battle continues.
Xie Baoqing led three platoons to give way on the hill as ordered, and the Japanese immediately pushed forward and formed a protrusion on the defense line.
At this time, Wang Xuexin pushed forward with the first and second platoons located on the left and right wings of the hill, thus forming a three-sided pincer attack on the Japanese who were attacking the hill.
If it had been a pincer attack before, it would have been like that. Even if it was surrounded on all sides, there would be nothing that could be done to the Japanese: all the guns in their hands were reloaded guns, with only five to ten bullets, and only three machine gun bullets.
Ten rounds of bullets and a grenade exploded in half. What could it do to the Japanese?
But now the Eighth Route Army has directional mines and anti-infantry rocket launchers. These are gadgets that can kill enemies in large numbers. Compared with machine guns and rifles, these gadgets are much more useful. This makes the fight different.
Wang Xuexin led Huzi's platoon up.
Let out a puff of smoke before going up... It's a bit troublesome to put out smoke forward. When the fighter plane comes, it doesn't mean that you just light the smoke and wait for the wind to blow over. You may not know the direction of the wind.
At this time, the soldiers came up with a way. They tied a ball of rubber into a ball, left a piece of hemp rope hanging by hand, poured gasoline on it, lit it and threw it in the direction of the enemy, and the smoke was thrown out.
It would be even better if a row of grenades were fired to raise a cloud of smoke and dust before the charge.
The Japs on the front looked at the approaching smoke, and thought that the Eighth Route Army was planning to charge their defense line. Little did they know that the Eighth Route Army's target was actually the Japs who were attacking the hill.
The soldiers did not need to attack the hill directly. They only needed to plant a few directional mines on the flanks of the hill and detonate them... The steel balls hit the center from both sides like rain, and a crossfire was formed.
Indiscriminate killing without blind spots, instantly knocking down a large number of Japanese who were attacking the hill.
Compared with ordinary landmines, the disadvantage of directional mines is that they are not very concealable.
Other landmines are buried underground and camouflaged, making it difficult to tell what they are.
Directional mines are placed on the ground, and there must be no obstacles in front of them.
For example, if there are rocks or mounds of soil blocking the front, it will not work.
So the Japanese can avoid it if they are prepared... If they find a directional mine from a distance, aim it with a rifle and detonate it, or throw a grenade to blow it away and explode.
However, Wang Xuexin led his troops to attack from both sides and used directional mines to attack the Japanese with side fire, which made it difficult for the Japanese to guard against them.
Not to mention the bazooka. Wherever the enemy gathers more, shoot wherever they are.
The combination of the two forms a directional lightning surface and a covering firepower of rocket launchers.
For a time, steel balls were flying everywhere on the hill, beating the Japanese to a complete defeat.
The soldiers in the third row took this opportunity to rush forward and easily regained their position.
Zhang Qingcai described the battlefield after the war:
"I rushed up and saw that everyone was alive, but they were all lying on the ground unable to move. Their bodies and faces were all covered with steel balls, and some even had their eyes popped out."
"As you rush, you can hear grenades exploding one after another."
"Why? The devils use grenades to commit suicide when they know they can't survive! Hand grenades are convenient to commit suicide. Those who want to die without grenades can't die..."
This is true. If you only have a rifle in your hand and are injured and unable to move, you really can't commit suicide if you want to.