The Japanese army's response was fierce, and the Chinese counterattack was equally resolute.
The back-and-forth shelling by both sides lasted until 9 o'clock in the morning. The flag was raised at about 7 o'clock, so it was already more than 2 hours of shelling, far exceeding the usual bombardment time of the Japanese army.
You know, with their stingy national characteristics, it is extremely rare to waste artillery shells like this when they know it is of no use.
They even sent out carrier-based fighter jets. This time they were not just trying to lure a snake out of its hole with a false shot. Although they did not drop bombs at the Sihang Warehouse, they brazenly came from the southeast and used their heavy machine guns to target Sihang.
Firepower points exposed in the warehouse were violently strafed.
The Japanese army risked being sanctioned by the Western world. Airspace is actually the same as territory. Although the anti-aircraft guns in the concession did not fire at Japanese aircraft, the consulates of several countries collectively lodged a protest with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which had suspicions about the Japanese military, seized this point to raise serious questions about the military generals, leaving the Japanese military generals disgraced and embarrassed.
But they still did it. This shows how angry the Japanese army was about the Chinese defenders fighting with the national flag.
However, in such a level of attack, the flagpole miraculously was not broken and was still flying high in the wind.
It seems to indicate that today's victory will still belong to China.
Jiro Wakita stood in the headquarters 800 meters away, holding a telescope and looking at the Chinese flag in the distance like a thorn in his heart, with a gloomy look on his face.
"Your Excellency, Wing Commander, the Wing Artillery Squadron requested to stop the bombardment. Their reserves are running low." Takeo Kitajima reported cautiously from the side.
Although I don’t understand the meaning of Colonel Jiro Wakibata’s wasting artillery shells in vain, Kitajima Takeo, who offered two consecutive plans but was defeated by the Chinese defenders, has long lost his previous high-spiritedness and is more cautious in his words and actions. Especially when looking at this Colonel.
It was when my aunt had been here for several days and her blood volume collapsed a bit.
"Baga! Tell those bastards that the support provided by the division will arrive at noon, and order them not to stop the bombardment." Jiro Wakiba put down the telescope in his hand, his face so gloomy that he almost dripped water. "I want to see it.
Look how much ammunition the Chinese have stored in the building can be consumed by our army like this."
"Your Excellency, Captain, what do you mean?" Takeo Kitajima keenly heard the hidden meaning in his superior's words and asked hurriedly.
This is the character of Takeo Kitajima. Even though he had already heard his boss' intention to consume the enemy's ammunition reserves, he still wanted to inquire about it so as to give his boss a chance to show off his capabilities.
As a superior, don't you especially like the scene where your subordinates are ignorant and just waiting for you to answer their questions? It's like during a meeting, the boss opens and closes on the rostrum, and a bunch of subordinates hold small notebooks, whether they listen or not.
It’s the same reason that you have to write so many words to understand something, and you have to have an expression of enlightenment on your face, right?
In fact, they might not be thinking the same thing as Kitajima Takeo now: Can you please stop Hu Jiba's nonsense?
"Kitajima-kun, have you read the morning newspaper from China?" Jiro Wakita asked expressionlessly this subordinate who had made two stupid tricks in a row.
"Hi! The Chinese claim that there are more than 800 defenders in the building, nearly two infantry battalions." Takeo Kitajima nodded. "But I doubt whether the Chinese deliberately released the data. Perhaps, the number of troops inside
There will be more. The Chinese are very cunning, especially the Chinese commander in the building."
"You are right. We cannot trust the troops reported by the Chinese. According to the fire reconnaissance on the first day, the Chinese exposed many heavy firepower points. They have accumulated at least more than two infantry battalions or even an infantry regiment in the building.
strength." Wakiitajiro nodded, very satisfied with his subordinate's attitude in chatting.
After all, the larger the number of Chinese defenders, the more it proves that the failure of the 36th Infantry Regiment's attack on the first day is normal. Otherwise, how could the powerful Imperial Japanese Army fail so easily?
"Kitashima-kun, we have been shelling for more than two hours. How many shells have been fired by our four mountain cannons and four mortars?" "More than 300 shells have been fired by our mountain cannons and more than 500 mortars!" Takeo Kitajima.
The deputy captain did a solid job and reported the data without any hesitation.
"Our army's four mortars fired more than 500 shells, with an average of more than 120 rounds per gun. The Chinese six guns, even if they are not as dense as our artillery fire, must have at least exceeded 600 rounds!" Threat!
Banjiro said. "Based on the experience of our army and the Chinese in the battle of Songhu for more than 20 days, although their fighting will is strong, ammunition has always been their shortcoming. Even if they have heavy artillery, the bombardment will stop immediately after a certain time.
, not because they don’t want to bombard, but because their logistics are unsustainable. Especially after the imperial army completely gained air supremacy, their fragile logistics is even worse, and they can only use night transportation. Therefore, I dare to conclude that this
Even if the Chinese people try their best, the ammunition reserves in the building will not be sufficient."
"Based on the strength of a Chinese regiment, one thousand artillery shells may be their limit." Jiro Wakiba said with certainty as he narrowed his eyes.
"Hi! Your Excellency, the captain, you are really a good person!" Takeo Kitajima flattered him appropriately. "However, based on the performance of the Chinese commander yesterday, they should not be stupid enough to have such a meaningless fight with me.
Military expenditure."
"Kitashima-kun, although you have studied the culture of the Chinese people, you still don't know much about the Chinese people after all." Jiro Wakita sighed slightly, and continued to explain with a slight contentment: "Yesterday we bombarded the building they were defending, and they kept forcing them.
They endured it and did not launch a counterattack, but what I bombarded today was the national flag they raised, but they finally couldn't help it anymore."
"This is like our united flag. Mr. Bei Dao, are you willing to protect it with your own life?"
"Hi! I understand what your Excellency, the captain, means." Takeo Kitajima bowed his head heavily. "That is their spiritual totem. They would rather waste precious ammunition than defend it to the death. Such Chinese people are terrifying."
"Terrible? It's true to say it's scary." A hint of ferocity flashed across Jiro Wakiita's face. "However, this is the battle for the rise of our Yamato nation. No matter how stubborn the enemy is, no matter how stubborn the resistance is, they will be defeated by the iron heel of the empire.
groan. They are doomed."
"Hi! Please give instructions for the next battle, Captain." An indescribable cold light flashed in Kitajima Takeo's eyes.
After all, war is judged by the guns in the hands of soldiers, not by bragging. Today is the stage for Colonel Wakiitajiro, and he will not rush forward stupidly. Yesterday, his face was covered
It's swollen.
"Order the artillery squadron to continue shelling to induce the Chinese to continue consuming ammunition. Half an hour later, the 2nd Infantry Brigade and the 3rd Infantry Brigade each sent an infantry squadron, along with four 89 tanks and three 94 tanks from the squadron directly under the tank.
Tanks attack the building. There is no trick to deal with such an opponent. We can only crush him from the front with absolute strength! Just wait until dawn tomorrow, we will take the tank team as the leader, and the infantry will follow up, starting from the warehouse
Starting from the bottom, we will eliminate all remaining enemies who dare to resist, level by level!" Jiro Wakiita ordered with a hint of determination on his face.
"Hi!" Kitajima Takeo lowered his head and flashed a trace of disdain on his face.
After talking for a long time, we still don’t want to attack by force? But, can we really attack in this way? Even if the shells of the enemy have been used up a lot, Baga also has machine guns and heavy machine guns! Takeo Kitajima
Deeply doubtful.
His suspicion is not without reason.
After half an hour, the shelling stopped.
About 4 infantry squads of Japanese infantry, each under the guidance of two 89 medium-sized tanks, divided into two groups and slowly approached the Sihang Warehouse from the east and west sides. In addition, the Japanese army also occupied several other tall buildings in Zhabei, and
Mortar positions and heavy machine gun positions were built on top to provide fire support for the infantry attack with intensive crossfire.
In the middle, three 94 light tanks also approached the ruins in a snake-like maneuver, using their heavy machine guns to carry out suppressive fire at the fire points that had appeared in the window. This time, they focused on both sides, and the middle became
Feinted.
Obviously, the captain of the 36th Infantry Regiment, Colonel Jiro Wakisaka, still seriously underestimated the strength of the Chinese Army stationed at the Sihang Warehouse opposite. Four medium tanks were more than 200 meters away from the building, and the 57mm tank cannons were firing pretty well.
When the walls that were already mottled and exposed by the mountain artillery mortar grenade bombarded the reinforced concrete walls and became even more pitted, two larger shooting holes appeared on the east and west walls of the bottom floor of the Sihang Warehouse.
The four machine cannons showed their ferocious faces again.
"Dong dong dong dong" made the tank turn its tracks crazily and hide in the building on the side. After yesterday's experience of losing four tanks in the battle, the Japanese tank crew did not dare to confront the terrifying machine gun like the sickle of death again.
Carrying. If the machine gun hits the tank, it will create a big hole. If they hit the wall, it will create a big pit. They are not stupid enough to do this kind of business that involves losses and no gains.
If the tanks are so scared that they are like fertilized rabbits hiding around the world, then the infantry hiding behind them will be in trouble. You can naturally avoid the terrifying machine gun and heavy machine gun fire by lying on the ground, but...
Our own tanks, which were turning their huge bodies to dodge and move, could not see them. At least five or six of our own soldiers did not fall to the terrifying Chinese machine gun bullets, but were hit by the tanks and crushed under the tracks.
There was a soft sound of "pop!", which was the sound of his head being crushed by a 12-ton tank.
A Japanese soldier jumped up crazily and ran away. That was because an eyeball of his comrade whose head was crushed burst out and landed on his face for more than ten meters. When he reached out and touched it, his comrade seemed to flash in the bloody eyeball.
The final despair of less than five seconds as he was crushed by the track from his legs to his abdomen and then to his head.
Gunshots rang out, and the Japanese soldier who dared to put his back under the enemy's gunfire fell down before running five meters.
However, he did not fall to the Chinese machine guns, but to the guns of the Japanese supervising team deployed 400 meters away.
"Baga!" Wakisaka Jiro suddenly yelled angrily, "The Shina people actually have hidden machine guns!"
In front of the building, two machine cannons were roaring, causing three little Dougins to hide in the ruins and tremble, not daring to come out. If the thin 7mm steel plate had not been for the brick wall to slow down the kinetic energy of the 20mm machine gun shells,
, it had long been riddled with holes.
Unexpectedly, there are two doors on each side of the wing. This makes the number as high as six.
Kitajima Takeo said: "Your Majesty Colonel, the tanks can no longer provide cover, and the infantry cannot launch a strong attack without cover. Why don't we let them withdraw?"
"No." Jiro Wakisaka said flatly, "You cannot retreat! Even without the cover of tanks, the warriors of the Imperial Japanese Army can still defeat the Chinese army on the opposite side with their flesh and blood and their loyal and courageous fighting spirit! Immediately raise the flag signal
Give orders to Team Tachihara and Team Yamamoto to continue the attack!"
"Hi!" Takeo Kitajima suddenly lowered his head.
There was a hint of horror in his lowered eyes!
This is all about using the soldiers’ lives to consume the Chinese ammunition!
Colonel Wakiitajiro was much more ruthless than him.