The sky was gray and gloomy. Although it had just been lunch, it seemed to be getting dark. The brothers of the Jiangsu North Corps who were responsible for blocking the Japanese along the way were in the same gloomy mood as that day.
The Japs came out in force, although the Jiangsu North Corps had previously organized people to dig out roads and tear down bridges, trying to slow down the Japs' northward advance as much as possible.
But the Japs were no strangers either. Their troops abandoned their trucks, used packhorses to carry weapons and ammunition, and marched northward on foot. They seemed determined not to give up until they attacked and destroyed the Northern Jiangsu Corps.
Shen Biao, commander of the 3rd Battalion of the Northern Jiangsu Corps who was responsible for delaying the resistance against the Japanese on the southern front, looked gloomy. Although they laid mines along the way, fired cold shots, and even established blocking positions on many river banks to conduct small-scale blocking battles.
But facing the mighty Japanese troops, everything they did seemed so powerless. They lost nearly two hundred brothers in just one morning, but the Japanese were still advancing.
At this rate, I am afraid that the Japanese troops will be able to break into Jieshou before it gets dark. Once the Japanese troops break into Jieshou, they will establish a bridgehead.
Then the Japs' weapons and ammunition can be continuously transported by water along the canal to Jieshou Wharf. When the time comes, facing the powerful Japs troops, the Northern Jiangsu Corps will face an unprecedented crisis.
"We must keep the Japanese south of Jieshou!"
The commander of the third battalion, Shen Biao, decided to go all out. Since cold guns and artillery could not stop the Japanese attack, he could only fight head-on. He hoped to buy a little more time for the troops heading south to rebuild their defense line at Jieshou.
"Each company holding off the Japanese for an hour or two will complete the task! Once the two hours are up, you can withdraw!"
Soon, the third battalion commander Shen Biao once again gathered the troops who had been scattered to attack the Japanese. They had to carry it hard now, otherwise they would not be able to hold back the Japanese who were bent on moving north.
"Are the missions clear?" Shen Biao asked in a deep voice, looking at the solemn-looking company commanders and deputy company commanders.
In the morning, the one-eyed company commander had been killed while blocking the attack. Now these company commanders and deputy company commanders also knew that this was a fight to the death and they had no choice.
"Battal Commander, I don't know if we can block it for two hours, but if the little devil wants to take a step forward, he has to step over our bodies!"
The pockmarked Second Company Commander's eyes were full of determination, and he was already determined to die.
"We are not cowards. Let's work hard to let the little devils know how powerful our Shandong men are!"
Lao Shandong, the man from the machine gun company, slapped his chest angrily, making the sound loud and clear.
The company commanders expressed their opinions one after another, followed by the platoon commanders swearing blood oaths. Everyone knew that this was a tough battle related to the life and death of the North Jiangsu Corps, and they had to fight.
"Okay, they are all famous men! If we are alive, we will have a celebratory drink, and if we are dead, we will fight the Japanese together!"
Seeing that the brothers were not afraid of death, the third battalion commander Shen Biao's heart was full of warmth. It would be enough for him to fight side by side with these brothers and stain the battlefield with blood.
Without any rhetoric or loud noises, the assembled brothers, led by their respective company and platoon leaders, entered the pre-built blocking positions in silence.
The brothers of each platoon held a position, and the brothers of the entire battalion were distributed in positions several miles deep, preparing to block the Japanese and slow down the Japanese's northward advance.
The fluttering blue sky and white sun flag was planted at the front of the position. There was an infantry squad guarding the outpost. The brothers lay in their foxholes, quietly waiting for the Japanese to come.
In this plain area with dense river networks in Jiangsu, if you want to fight a blocking war, it is better to fight in those dangerous mountainous areas. There is almost no danger to defend here.
The only things the brothers could rely on were the crisscrossing rivers and trenches dug above their heads.
Although cold gun and artillery attacks can cause certain casualties to the Japanese, compared to the Japanese's mighty troops, the losses are almost negligible.
In order to be able to delay the Japanese advance northward, the brothers had no choice but to fight head-on. Although they knew it was just a fly shaking the tree, none of the brothers retreated.
From Shanghai to Nanjing, from Xuzhou to Wuhan, every battle between the Chinese Communist Party and the Japs is a life and death struggle for this nation. But now the brothers know that it is their turn now. This is the fate of soldiers.
It was decided the moment they put on the military uniform that they were destined to shed the last drop of blood for this land.
"Are you afraid?"
The squad leader of the outpost squad was honest and honest, but he was a solid veteran. His eyes swept over the young faces of the brothers lying in the foxholes on the left and right sides, and he slowly asked.
The brothers in this class are all soldiers from northern Jiangsu. Most of them are young people in their twenties. Due to long-term malnutrition, they look thin and small, like teenagers.
"Squad leader, I'm a little scared..." Seeing everyone in silence, a brother said with trembling lips.
Starting from the Manchu and Qing Dynasties, warlords and bandits fought in a melee, and now they have to resist the invasion. The war in China has never stopped. This generation has almost grown up in the flames of war. They have seen too many life and death, and now they have to
I stepped onto the battlefield and fought the Japanese to the death. It would be a lie to say that I was not afraid.
The rest of the brothers in the class were worried when they heard what this brother said. If he said he was afraid at this juncture, he would be a deserter, and he would be shot.
"It's okay to be afraid. I was also afraid when I went to the battlefield. I was scared to death when I heard the gunshots."
However, the veteran squad leader did not use military law to suppress people as expected. Instead, he leaned against the foxhole and took out a pack of cigarettes from his arms, and generously took out a pack of cigarettes and threw them at the brothers.
"But there is nothing you can do if you are afraid. If we soldiers don't fight, then our parents, brothers and sisters behind us will be harmed by the little devils, so we have to fight even if we are afraid!" The veteran squad leader lit one for himself.
cigarette.
"When our ancestors were growing crops on this land, the little devils were still living as savages in the woods and ravines. Our ancestors taught them how to be human, and they thought they were human beings. Now the little devils rely on their own growth.
When we grow up, we will use guns and cannons to seize the land left by our ancestors. Do you think this is okay?" The veteran squad leader smoked a cigarette and spoke as if telling a story.
These young men listened attentively, thinking that the little devil was the white-eyed wolf who had learned Chinese things and in turn wanted to seize Chinese land.
"How can the things left by our ancestors be easily given to others? Since ancient times, there have been people riding animals, but there are no animals riding people. If these little devils want to dominate us and steal our things, they will
That was a miscalculation."
"If the little devil wants to steal our Chinese land, let's fight him!" a brother said with clenched fists.
The veteran nodded and said: "Yes, don't look at the arrogance of the Japs now, but Chief Yang said that as long as all 45,000 of us Chinese people unite to fight the Japs, even if they are replaced one by one, the Japs will not be able to afford it."
"Our ancestors are watching us in the sky. We can't embarrass our ancestors. When the little devils come up later, I will risk my life and beat them to death. Let the little devils know that none of us Chinese men are cowards.
If they want to rob our land, then they will pay with their lives!" The veteran took a long drag on his cigarette and said murderously.