The Battle of Guadalcanal was a turning point in the Pacific War. Four Japanese aircraft carriers were sunk, one was seriously damaged, and most of the experienced pilots of the Japanese aircraft carrier aircraft were eliminated. At this point, the U.S.-China Allied Forces had completely gained air supremacy over Guadalcanal.
Sea control, however, although they suffered heavy losses, the Japanese knew the importance of Guadalcanal. If Guadalcanal was lost, Japan would lose control of the South Pacific and lose the strategic initiative in the entire Pacific. Therefore, the Japanese did not
Instead, they continued to secretly send troops to Guadalcanal.
In the Guadalcanal military camp, after the Japanese aircraft carriers withdrew, the U.S. military had completely controlled the air superiority over Guadalcanal. In addition, the United States transferred a group of pilots from China, so the Wolf Fangs could not return to the Guadalcanal Island after successfully completing the mission of bombing the aircraft carrier.
Once I returned to the aviation group and returned to my own duties, my job as a temporary pilot came to an end.
In the military camp, Xu Rui drank coffee, while Sweet Potato beside him drank a cola drink made from cola powder.
Digua said: "Captain, I can't get used to the bitter taste of coffee, but the Yankee Coke tastes really good."
Xu Rui looked at Sweet Potato and said, "You guy, you didn't even heal your injuries, you just wandered around."
Diguo was injured during his last parachute jump, and later the wound became infected. Fortunately, the troops who landed in the United States were equipped with penicillin, and Digua saved his life.
Digua said cheerfully: "Commander, without the advantage of sea and air, the Japanese will never dare to come to Guadalcanal again. It's not interesting to stay here anyway, so I'll just take a walk."
Xu Rui said: "Do you think the Japanese will never come? Why do I think the Japanese will definitely come back?"
"Commander, you can't. The Japanese have no sea and air superiority. The troops who come to Guadalcanal will die." Digua said.
Xu Rui said: "Then we will wait and see."
"Captain, Vandegrift wants you to go there because there is an emergency meeting." Zhuoligetu walked in and said.
"Okay, I'll go right away." Xu Rui knew that if there was no major war, Vandegrift would not hold an emergency meeting, which meant that the Japs might actually land.
At that moment, Xu Rui arrived at Vandegrift's headquarters in Guadalcanal in a jeep. He saw that several regiment-level cadres of the US military on Guadalcanal had arrived. Vandergrift said straight to the point: "Everyone,
, I just received news that a landing fleet carrying 5,000 Japanese soldiers has just arrived at Guadalcanal. It seems that our vacation is coming to an end."
A US military colonel said: "General, what are our air force and navy doing? The Japanese have lost their air and sea superiority. Why don't our planes and warships sink the Japanese landing ships?"
Vandergrift said: "The Japanese are very cunning. They used the protection of night to send the soldiers ashore. It was not until the Japanese came ashore that we discovered their traces."
The colonel cursed: "The people in the Navy are really a bunch of shit!"
Vandergrift said: "It is meaningless to say this now. The Japanese troops landing on the island will attack our army soon, so we must be prepared."
Xu Rui thought for a while and said: "If the Japanese want to attack, then the Lunga Ridge is very important. We must defend the Lunga Ridge, the highest point on the island."
Vandergrift said: "Okay, Edson, Lunga Ridge is your defense area, and your regiment must hold Lunga Ridge."
Colonel Edson shrugged and said, "Okay, I'll do my best."
At that moment, Vandergrift and several regiment leaders discussed the specific defense positions before the meeting dispersed. Xu Rui was about to leave, but Vandergrift stopped Xu Rui.
Vandergrift said to Xu Rui: "Xu, Edson's troops are mainly new soldiers and have little combat experience. Therefore, at the critical moment, I need reinforcements from your troops."
Xu Rui said: "No problem."
Vandergrift did not expect Xu Rui to agree so readily, and was very moved. He held Xu Rui's hand tightly and said, "If this battle is fought successfully, I will ask General MacArthur for your credit.
Xu Rui said: "Vandergrift, you'd better ask President Roosevelt to take credit for us."
Vandergrift thought to himself that Xu Rui was very humorous. How could he, a young major general, meet President Roosevelt? He immediately laughed and said, "Xu, you are so humorous. As long as General MacArthur knows about your
results, then President Roosevelt will definitely know your achievements from the battle reports."
Xu Rui naturally knew that Vandegrift would not be able to see Roosevelt. He was just joking, but he must fight this battle well. If he fights well, then Americans will fully realize that Chinese soldiers are fighting in the war.
role in the war, thus winning more post-war benefits for China.
It was already late at night when he left Vandergrift. Xu Rui immediately drove back to the station. He knew that the Yankee recruits might not be able to stop the Japanese attack. At the critical moment, his own troops still had to fight. Therefore, he must
be prepared.
Just as Xu Rui was reorganizing his troops to prepare for war, a Japanese army of 5,000 troops led by Major General Kawaguchi had landed on Guadalcanal and continued to attack forward.
The Japanese army's offensive was very fierce, and they were devastated along the way. The new recruits of the US military were no match for the Japanese. They were beaten everywhere. In less than three hours, Kawaguchi led the team to attack Zhigao on Guadalcanal.
Below Point Lunga Ridge.
Major General Kawaguchi Kiyotake was originally a colonel. He had just been promoted to major general recently and was in high spirits. He planned to use his victory over Guadalcanal as capital for his promotion again.
Until this time, the Japanese intelligence still showed that the US military defenders on Guadalcanal only had more than 2,000 troops, so Kawaguchi Kiyoshi was full of confidence in coming to Guadalcanal this time.
At that moment, Kawaguchi Kiyoshi found the direction according to the map. He knew that as long as he captured the Lunga Ridge, the entire Guadalcanal would be within his attack range. By then, it would be easy to regain the Guadalcanal, so he captured the Lunga Ridge.
It is the key to the battle.
"Order, the Pioneer Momota Brigade attacks and advances, and must capture the Lunga Ridge at all costs before dawn."
"Hai!"
Therefore, Colonel Momota Nobuyuki led more than a thousand troops to open the way and climb towards the Lunga Ridge.
At this time, on the Lunga Ridge, an American battalion was sound asleep.
At this moment, the sentry discovered the Japanese soldiers who had climbed up the mountainside. The sentry was so frightened that he fired a warning shot. The US military immediately woke up and then became a mess, looking for clothes and weapons.
"Tyler, you're wearing my shoes!"
"Damn, where are my clothes?"
There were also those who were smarter and knew that they should fire immediately at this time. Several American soldiers wearing only large pants immediately ran to the heavy machine gun and started shooting non-stop.
When the Japanese offensive was blocked, many people were lying on the ground. However, at this time, a Japanese squad leader discovered that although the American heavy machine gun fired continuously, the muzzle was a little higher, so the squad leader waved his hand and pointed at the individual.
He rushed forward with a bayonet, the machine gun was still roaring, and he did not find these Japanese soldiers.
After a while, several little devils rushed up to the ridge, and then they discovered that two Americans in underpants were shooting there, but they did not dare to show their heads. One Yankee wrapped a rope around the trigger of the machine gun, and he
Then he hid under the position, without raising his head, and just kept pulling the rope.
"Haha..." Several Japanese devils laughed and directly captured the Americans. Then they turned the muzzle of the heavy machine gun and fired at the US military position, knocking down dozens of American soldiers. The remaining Americans
The soldiers dispersed in a panic and ran around.
In this way, a few Japanese soldiers easily captured the American position. Then, the Japanese army swarmed up and completely occupied the Lunga Ridge.
"What? Lunga Ridge was lost so quickly?"
When Vandergrift learned that Lunga Valley had been lost, he screamed in anger.
"General, once the Japanese occupy Lunga Ridge, they can command the top and control the entire Guadalcanal. What should we do now?" Edson said.
"Edson, I order you to immediately lead your troops to fight back and retake Lunga Ridge!" Vandergrift shouted.
Edson shook his head and said with a wry smile: "General, my soldiers have dispersed. Now I can find no more than a hundred soldiers, and there is no way to attack Lunga Ridge."
Vandergrift wanted to slap Edson twice, but he knew that in the U.S. military, insulting and beating subordinates would be punished, so Vandergrift suppressed his anger and said: "Get out
Bar!"
"yes!"
Edson responded, turned and left Vandergrift's office.
Vandegrift thought about all the troops. The only one who could recapture the Lunga Ridge under such circumstances was Xu Rui's three regiments.
So, Vandergrift called Xu Rui. On the phone, Vandergrift said: "Xu, the Lunga Ridge has been lost, and the situation on Guadalcanal is very dangerous. Now, I order you to do it."
Retake Lunga Ridge before daybreak."
Xu Rui said: "General, wait for my good news."
Xu Rui put down the phone and immediately ordered the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 3rd Regiment to launch an attack on the Lunga Ridge.
At the bottom of the Lunga Ridge, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 3rd Regiment marched all the way to the bottom of the mountain. From a distance, they saw flames rising into the sky on the top of the mountain, and the Japanese were resting on the top of the mountain.
Without saying a word to Gao Chu, Huang Shouxin immediately ordered the soldiers to launch an attack on the top of the mountain immediately.
The two thousand soldiers of the Second and Third Battalions immediately climbed up the Lunga Ridge quickly. As soon as they climbed halfway up the mountain, they heard a noise on the mountain. Apparently, the Second and Third Battalions had been discovered by the Japanese.
Huang Shouxin shouted: "Comrades, charge!"
The next moment, all the soldiers let out loud shouts and rushed towards the top of the mountain. The battle for Lunga Ridge began...