Four hundred and sixtieth chapters positional warfare
The order from the brigade headquarters is for Yang Ling and his regiment to stick to Jinlonggan, which means they have to be nailed here like nails to guard this mountain.
"It seems we can't avoid another bloody battle..."
Zhang Handuo sighed helplessly as he looked at the backs of the brigade messengers leaving.
Facing the Japanese troops with strong firepower advantage, fighting positional warfare means that they need to face the opponent's violent firepower coverage, which means huge casualties.
The attacking Japanese can call for aircraft bombing and artillery bombardment. They have the initiative in combat, but they who guard the position can only risk their lives and can only defend passively.
If given a choice, no one would want to fight a positional war.
Now their 30th Regiment has suffered heavy casualties in the continuous fierce battles. Zhang Handuo's face was solemn, worried about the upcoming fierce battle.
Yang Ling was not willing to stick to the trenches and fight positional warfare, because the tragic scene of the mountains of corpses in the trenches during the Songhu Battle last year was still vivid in his mind.
Facing the bombardment of Japanese heavy bombers and giant naval guns at sea, the Chinese army was consuming one division per day. It was really dark and bloody.
However, in the face of the raging iron hooves of the Japanese aggressors, the Chinese soldiers with backward equipment and weapons could only use their weak shoulders to carry the backbone of the nation and soak in the trenches full of blood until they were killed.
But in the face of powerful Japanese forces, the Chinese army is passive and helpless most of the time.
Now the situation of Yang Ling and the others is still not optimistic. The main force of Maruyama Masao's 6th Brigade has already rushed towards Minshan.
Yang Ling and the others could not retreat or escape. They could only rely on the mountains to defend their position, blocking them firmly in the Minshan area, preventing them from approaching De'an, and covering the Ninth Army on the Nanxun line.
Although Yang Ling knew that the best defense was to attack, now he had to guard the mountain like a nail like a nail.
Looking at the blood-stained mountains, Yang Ling took a deep breath and his eyes became firmer than ever before.
The country was destroyed and the family was destroyed, and the mountains and rivers were destroyed. In the face of the Japanese attack, they were responsible for protecting their home and land, so they had to stay here and passively wait for the Japanese attacks and bombings.
But with these Chinese soldiers guarding here, the Japanese would have no chance of taking over De'an without any effort. Even if they did, they would still have to pay a bloody price.
"Tuanzu, a bloody battle is certain, but don't even think about taking advantage of me!" Yang Ling gritted his teeth and said fiercely.
"Brother Yang, what do you think? Can you tell me?"
The leader of the regiment, Zhang Handuo, knew that Yang Ling had many clever ideas, and now he could only hope that Yang Ling could come up with a best-of-both-worlds solution to help them defend this place and reduce casualties.
Of course, Yang Ling knew that now was not the time to show off. He pointed at the mountains and said, "Although the Japanese have the advantage of artillery fire, we have the geographical advantage."
"We can build several main circular trenches along the hillside, clear the obstacles within the firing range, and shoot from a high position at the Japs who are feinting to attack. As long as the firepower is properly equipped, the Japs will not be able to gain any advantage."
Zhang Handuo, who was originally depressed, suddenly felt hope again when he heard Yang Ling's analysis.
If the arrangement is really as Yang Ling said, it will be really difficult for the little devils to attack.
But thinking of the bombers and large-caliber artillery fire that day on the Japs, Zhang Handuo couldn't help but sigh: "Although we can attack the Japs from a high position, as long as the Japs bombard our positions with artillery fire, I'm afraid..."
In a war, people are the only ones fighting. If the brothers were covered by the enemy's artillery fire and suffered too many casualties, even if they occupied the terrain, they would not be able to withstand the enemy's attack.
After Yang Ling heard Zhang Handuo's worries, he patted him on the shoulder comfortingly and said, "Don't worry about this group. We can move dead people away from trees. When the Japanese artillery strikes, we can just hide."
"Brother Yang, what you said is very light, but look at this bare mountain. Apart from a few sparse trees and grass everywhere, where can you hide?"
Yang Ling pointed to his feet mysteriously and said, "We can hide underground."
"underground?"
"Yes, we can build an artillery-proof tunnel, so that we are not afraid of the Japs' artillery fire."
Yang Ling clearly remembered that the position in Shangganling in later generations was cut off by two meters by Japanese artillery fire, and the Chinese army hid in the built tunnels and continued to fight, holding on to the end and achieving the final victory.
.
"Is it too late to build a tunnel now?"
Although Zhang Handuo was surprised that Yang Ling proposed such a defense method, he couldn't help but shake his head when he saw the exhausted brothers.
The brothers have been nervously engaged in high-intensity battles since they went to the battlefield. They have hardly slept at all. After fighting for dozens of hours, they are already exhausted.
Digging anti-gun tunnels will definitely consume a lot of time and energy, and the brothers will be even more tired.
"It's still late. Although I'm a little tired, it's better than being blown up by Japanese shells." Yang Ling seemed a little cold, but he told the truth.
This mountain ridge was not suitable for building an anti-slope position, but fighting a positional battle with the Japs on this bare mountain ridge was doomed to cause heavy casualties. Yang Ling's request to build anti-artillery tunnels was a helpless move.
Zhang Handuo is not an indecisive person. He knows that kindness cannot control the army. Between fatigue and death, he would rather choose to be tired.
"Then let the brothers build fortifications and dig tunnels, and try to complete it before the Japs attack." Zhang Handuo made up his mind.
The order from the regiment headquarters was quickly issued to the three battalions. According to Yang Ling's deployment, the three battalions formed a stepped defense along the mountains.
The first battalion is at the forefront, the second battalion is in the middle, and the third battalion is close to the top of the mountain, about three hundred meters apart from each other. The advantage of this is that it forms a deep defense. Even if the front camp cannot hold it, the entire position will not collapse.
The brothers were already exhausted from the continuous fierce fighting, but the construction of trenches and tunnels was related to their own lives. Although they were tired, they still swung the hoe and shovel vigorously to dig.
"Dig deeper, at least 1.7 meters."
Yang Ling inspected various positions and saw that the trenches dug by his brothers were very shallow, so he ordered them to make corrections.
Digging a 1.7-meter trench allows most of the brothers to stand and shoot, with only their heads wearing helmets exposed, which can greatly reduce casualties.
"You guys, go over there and chop some wood and come back. The tunnel must be supported and reinforced. It would be a joke if it collapsed and was buried inside."
Yang Ling looked at the artillery defense tunnel that was gradually taking shape, nodded with satisfaction, and ordered: "Chop some branches back and make a good disguise."
"Wang Beard——"
Wang Huzi, who was leaning on the trench wall and smoking, heard Yang Ling's call and hurriedly put out his unburned cigarette and ran over: "Yes!"
"Brothers, do you know how to use grenades?" Yang Ling asked.
Yang Ling and the others went up the mountain last night. After several hours of fighting, they killed more than 150 Japs and seized a lot of weapons and ammunition.
What Yang Ling cared about the most was the grenade launchers of the Japanese soldiers, and he temporarily formed two grenade launcher squads, hoping that they would be effective during the battle.
"Vice-General, don't worry, there will definitely be enough for the little devil to drink by then." Wang Huzi grinned and started to laugh.
Yang Ling placed two grenade squads in his company. For them who lacked heavy firepower, their strength was greatly enhanced. He was now feeling happy.
"Don't just patronize Le. If you let it slip by then, I'll give it to someone else first if I seize it next time."
Wang Huzi patted his chest and promised: "Vice-General, as long as you give the order, we will definitely direct the attack where to hit. Let's also let the little Japanese have a taste of being bombed."
Looking at the playful and smiling Wang Huzi, Yang Ling felt inexplicably better. He waved to him and said, "Seize the time to build the position. Let the brothers take a rest after finishing it."
"Yes!" Wang Huzi stood up and saluted, then walked away in a hurry.