Chapter nine hundred and forty fifth heavy artillery show prestige
"Division Commander, the Eighth Route Army relied on the city wall to defend, and one of our exploratory attacks has ended. Because the forward troops were not equipped with artillery, there was no way to threaten them. They kept our attacking troops as close as fifty meters before firing, and then
We just used grenades to hit them and drove back our attacking troops without even using machine guns..." the squadron leader of the forward troops reported in frustration.
"However, although I did not test the opponent's firepower, I can be sure of one thing. There are at least two companies of the Eighth Route Army guarding the city wall..."
Lieutenant General Ito's face showed an expression of enthusiasm and excitement.
"That is to say, at least one battalion of the main force of the Eighth Route Army has gathered in Xiangfen City~"
"Great. All we encountered along the way were Eighth Route Army guerrillas, and they were all beaten passively. Although the loss of troops was not large, it still caused a huge blow to our morale. Now we finally meet the main force of the Eighth Route Army who is willing to confront us head-on.
No...no telling, we must kill them this afternoon..."
"Artillery, immediately set up all the artillery we brought. I want the Eighth Route Army defending the city to taste what it's like to be bombed..."
"Immediately contact the two nearest infantry brigades, quickly move closer to us, surround Xiangfen County, and not let a single Eighth Route Army slip through the net!"
The chief of staff next to him reminded: "Division commander, do you want to contact the aviation force... The Xiangfen city wall is not very strong, and it will definitely not be able to withstand the bombing of the aviation force..."
Lieutenant General Ito shook his head and replied: "No need for the time being..."
"We haven't attacked yet, and we don't even know if the other side has permanent firepower points. We haven't bombed the target even if we call the aviation force. Moreover, we will be laughed at by the aviation force for our incompetence and cowardice!"
"The troops are preparing immediately and will start attacking the city in half an hour..."
A few kilometers away was the enemy headquarters of the New Regiment. The commanding terrain advantage allowed Wang Ping to clearly see every move of the Japanese outside Xiangfen City.
"Commander, the little devil thinks too highly of our city defenders! They set up artillery as soon as they came up, twelve large-caliber mountain cannons, and twelve field cannons, and they looked like they were going to raze the Xiangfen city wall to the ground..."
Zhong Chenggong frowned and reminded.
"The city wall is not that fragile! The nearly ten days of hard work of the engineering company cannot be destroyed by a single shot of artillery shells by a little devil!" Wang Ping answered confidently.
"Besides, I don't intend to rely on a city wall to fight the Japanese to the end. After withstanding their two attacks and causing a lot of damage to them, the troops will retreat to the city and fight with the Japanese in the streets!"
Zhong Chenggong raised his eyebrows and asked: "No, Captain, didn't you say that the little Japs won't suffer the same thing and won't fight with us in the streets? And if Xiangfen City doesn't fight, there is no room for street fighting.
!”
"Not being fooled doesn't mean that little devils don't engage in street fighting~" Wang Ping explained calmly.
"In the battle of Linfen, the Japs only sent an infantry brigade into the city, and they did not carry heavy weapons and were not prepared for street fighting with us. Then they were caught off guard by our latent troops and suffered heavy casualties!"
"This time is different. The Japs will definitely be prepared for a street fight with us in advance, and then enter the city, gradually advance, and occupy Xiangfen bit by bit. Instead of fighting against Linfen, the troops will disperse as soon as they enter the city.
, giving our latent troops the opportunity to defeat them one by one."
"Also, after our troops retreat into the city, they won't be able to capture Xiangfen without engaging in this street battle!"
"Unless they are willing to use artillery shells and aerial bombs to raze Xiangfen to the ground. However, although Xiangfen is not big, it still needs tens of thousands of artillery shells to raze it to the ground. The little devil's artillery shells did not appear out of thin air.
, they were all transported bit by bit from Northeast China and even Japan, and the Japanese in front of us definitely didn’t bring that many."
Zhong Chenggong first nodded to confirm Wang Ping's analysis, and then asked in confusion: "Since you know that the Japanese will be well prepared before entering the city to fight with us in street fights, then you let the three new main battalions enter the city, instead of letting them die.
?"
Wang Ping shook his head and replied: "It's not about dying, it's about training soldiers!"
"Don't most of the soldiers in the three newly formed main battalions have no weapons? If we fight this battle well, they will have weapons. Moreover, there is a direct team to take them in the city. I also gave each of them five grenades and
Grenade, definitely no problem!"
"And street fighting is not as simple as you think, Chief of Staff... Anything can happen inside. Even if the Japanese are fully prepared and bring all the artillery, tanks, and armored vehicles into the city, we still have a chance to hit them hard!"
Having said this, Wang Ping's face suddenly flashed with an arrogant and excited expression, and then he stared at Xiangfen City a few kilometers away and shouted.
"Don't the little devils always think that our Eighth Route Army is cowardly and too captured? This time, I want to tell them through a face-to-face city defense battle, a well-prepared street battle that the devils have prepared, that our Eighth Route Army is not the same as confronting them head-on.
We, the Eighth Route Army, can still defeat their opponents!"
A staff officer suddenly rushed in. When he saw Wang Ping, he gasped and reported.
"Captain, urgent information sent back from the reconnaissance company!"
"The other two strengthened brigades of the Japanese encirclement and suppression troops on the middle road suddenly turned around and came towards Xiangfen City. They were marching very fast and they will arrive there in half an hour."
"The leader of the Japanese division wants to encircle and annihilate our defenders in Xiangfen~" Wang Ping immediately made a judgment.
Then he shouted happily: "Well done; the more people come, the more Japanese soldiers our city defenders will kill this afternoon!"
Three to four thousand infantry, more than a thousand cavalry, plus heavy artillery and tanks, attacked a small county town with only more than 2,000 defenders. Zhong Chenggong didn't know where Wang Ping got the confidence.
Seeing that the political commissar who had objected with him before did not speak, the chief of staff swallowed back the objection he had just thought of as soon as it reached his lips.
"Rumble..."
Even though they were several kilometers apart, the violent explosions of heavy artillery shells were still deafening when they came over.
"This is another test firing of the Japs' heavy artillery! It seems that our opponents can't wait any longer. The other two reinforced brigades are eager to attack Xiangfen and capture our defenders before they come over!" Wang Ping frowned.
Make a judgment, then raise your binoculars and look at the battlefield.
The impact point was still nearly a hundred meters away from the city wall, but the huge black smoke column rising into the sky still made Wang Ping feel the powerful power of the heavy artillery.
In less than two minutes, more than twenty thick black smoke pillars rose up around the city wall, four or five of which rose directly on the city wall. Then almost ten seconds passed before a series of violent explosions reached Wang Ping's ears.
.
The power of the heavy artillery was too great. Although Wang Ping had been mentally prepared, he was still frightened when he saw the huge gap caused by the shells on the city wall.
His face instantly became serious, and then he frowned and ordered.
"The Japs' attack has begun. Get the call from the commando camp Jin Kai immediately. I want to talk to him on the phone!"
As soon as I took the microphone handed over by the communications staff, the loud explosion caused by a new round of Japanese shelling came through the receiver.
"Commander, I am Jin Kai, the commander of the assault battalion. Please give me instructions!" Then Jin Kai's voice rang on the phone receiver.
"There are no instructions... Time is running out, so just listen to me... The power of the Japanese heavy artillery is far beyond my imagination. Even the machine gun bunkers we built inside the city wall may not be able to withstand it. Therefore, during the bombardment of the Japanese heavy artillery,
, except for observation posts, everyone else must stay away from the city wall, and should be dispersed as much as possible in squad units. It is up to you to decide when to enter the position... Execute it now, and take advantage of the gap between shelling, and the troops will retreat immediately!"
"Yes...the leader..." Jin Kai's affirmative reply soon came through the receiver.
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