It was already eleven o'clock in the evening when the order from the Eighth Route Army headquarters was forwarded to Li Hao!
The guard company and the commando team cooperated with each other and successfully killed two Japanese cavalry squadrons and two artillery positions, and were ready to pounce on the third artillery position!
"Stop the action. Let's retreat!"
After reading the telegram, Li Hao decisively terminated the action!
Even though the battles were victorious, the several battalion and company commanders who were in high spirits couldn't figure it out and looked at the regimental commander with puzzled faces!
"The order came from the headquarters!" Li Hao did not hide anything and answered with a long sigh!
"I don't know whether this news is good or bad for our defense group!"
"According to the original battle plan, we will stay in Lingqiu City for one more day and break out tomorrow night!"
"However, in order to disrupt the Japanese's mopping up plan and achieve victory in the entire counter-mopping up, the headquarters decided to let us stay in Lingqiu City for three more days! Turning Lingqiu City into an unbreakable stronghold for the Japanese, forcing them to withdraw from the front line
More troops are coming to attack us!"
"What? We have to guard for three days, how is this possible!" Zhou Wu stared at him with big eyes and shouted in disbelief!
"Today, more than half of the troops in the city were killed or wounded in one afternoon. The remaining 600-odd people will probably be wiped out in less than two days, even if we don't defend for three days. If we don't have any troops, how can we defend?"
The artillery battalion commander Yuan Qingfeng said: "Commander, I also think this order is too difficult and difficult to achieve. It is almost impossible to do it!"
Several subordinates all looked pessimistic and did not hold out any hope. Li Hao spoke at this time with a very firm expression: "Nothing is impossible. As long as we find a way, we have a chance to make the impossible possible!"
"Don't you all know that this winter raid launched by the Japanese has dealt a devastating blow to not only our Lingqiu but also the entire base area?"
"Compared with other base areas in the military region, our Lingqiu clearing of the strong walls is more thorough, and the losses and casualties should be minimal!"
"Other base areas are not doing so well. If the raids are not completed for one day, it means that countless soldiers and civilians in the base areas will continue to die miserably at the hands of the Japanese!"
"Protecting the common people is the responsibility and obligation of our Eighth Route Army!"
"In order to save a few civilians in the base area from dying, for the sake of the overall situation, and to kill the Japanese and avenge the sacrificed comrades in the garrison, we must fight this battle and the orders must be executed. There is no room for negotiation!"
"Do you know why I suddenly decided to terminate the operation just now!"
"What you just said is right. Insufficient troops are the biggest problem facing our garrison now!"
"With the few troops left, if you sacrifice each one, you will lose one, and you will not get any replacement! If we want to guard Lingqiu City for three days, every soldier is very important to us, and we must not sacrifice in vain! Even if some sacrifices cannot be avoided,
We also need to recruit a few more little devils to back us up before we die, so that we can die a worthy death!"
"The operation in front of us has lost its surprise. It is difficult for us to eliminate more Japanese at the minimum cost!"
"Except for the Japanese artillery position outside the south gate, which is only protected by cavalry, the artillery positions in the other three directions are protected by infantry, and there is an early warning!"
"In the battle just now, although we killed the Japanese cavalry squadron and captured their artillery position, the Japanese infantry protecting the artillery also caused more than 30 casualties to the guard company and commando team!"
"We only have this few troops, and we have to continue to hold on here for three days. We cannot withstand the consumption!"
“Besides, you don’t have to worry too much!”
"Headquarters ordered us to hold on here for three days, but except for the two infantry brigades that came before dawn, the reinforcements that the Japanese deployed from the front line were all blocked by the main force. It is guaranteed that not a single soldier will reach Lingqiu!"
"So, as long as we can successfully carry out the surprise attack on the Japanese reinforcements in the middle of the night, the pressure of defending Lingqiu for three days will not be very great!"
"Now I order: All troops should bring enough weapons and ammunition. We should set off now and arrive at the scheduled assault battlefield in advance to prepare!"
"We can only win this battle, not lose!"
"And we have to kill the most Japs with the least casualties!"
In Lingqiu City, except for the enemy and our security sentries, everyone else was fast asleep!
Along the line of the city wall, the Japs built dozens of shacks in the corners of the city wall. There were more than a dozen huge bonfires burning next to the shacks, which not only kept the Japs warm, but also illuminated the surrounding area!
Hundreds of little Japs, except for the guard posts, were all organized into infantry squads, either sleeping huddled in shacks, or sitting around campfires to keep warm!
Twenty meters away from the city wall are residential buildings. The houses are connected together and can accommodate not only hundreds of people, but even thousands of people!
But the Japs did not dare to live there. They fought street battles with the Eighth Route Army during the day. Every Japs witnessed the Eighth Route Army's elusiveness and had psychological shadows!
The Eighth Route Army is so cunning, it can penetrate through holes in walls, climb over walls, stand in corners... and can do anything!
If he lived in a house, the Eighth Route Army would have a way to touch the room that was separated by a wall from him!
When the time comes, all it takes is one grenade to be thrown in, and all the imperial troops in the room will be wiped out!
It is much safer to stay in the corner of the city wall!
There is an open space of twenty meters between there and the houses. The possibility of the Eighth Route Army trying to reach everyone through the open space under everyone's nose is almost zero!
If the guard post can control the row of houses and yards closest to the city wall, the grenades and grenades equipped by the Eighth Route Army will not be able to threaten them, so it will be safer!
In the middle of the night, all the Japanese had a good dream!
But the good times didn't last long, the night got darker and darker, everyone fell into a deep sleep, and the double eyelids of the guard post also started to fight. An accident happened!
"Da da da……"
A string of machine gun fire sounded from behind a courtyard wall less than thirty meters away from a Japanese security team!
Bullets flew out of the shooting holes and struck them like meteors!
The Japs' reaction speed was already much slower because the weather was too cold and their bodies were frozen!
Now coupled with fatigue, the whole person is in a half-dream and half-awake state, and the reaction speed is even slower!
Before he could make any reaction, several balls of blood burst out from his body, and then he fell from the roof with a scream!
The sound of short and intensive machine gun fire was particularly harsh in the quiet night, just like an order. As soon as it sounded, the entire county became lively!
The sound of rifle shooting and grenade explosions kept ringing in the yard where the Japanese guard post was stationed!
At the Japanese brigade headquarters at the east gate, less than ten minutes after the brigade captain was awakened by the sound of gunfire, a lieutenant rushed in!
"Sir, the Eighth Route Army has carried out too many sneak attacks. They are fierce and cruel. The security troops can only be beaten passively. Now more than half of them have been killed or injured!"
The captain scolded with a stern face: "Are they all pigs? Are the weapons in their hands all fire sticks? Why don't they fight back!"
"The Eighth Route Army can fight in the streets, and so can we!"
"The security troops were hiding in the courtyard on the front line of the city wall, waiting for the Eighth Route Army to attack. Shouldn't they use street fighting to severely damage the Eighth Route Army's sneak attack troops? Why did they suffer heavy losses instead!"
The lieutenant lowered his head and replied: "The Eighth Route Army is really too cunning!"
"They are familiar with every house and yard where the security forces are stationed!"
"The sneak attack was not a direct assault, but a sneak attack that quietly approached us from a place we didn't know, first used a grenade to blast it, and then attacked!"
"The situation where the enemy is in the open and we are in the dark does not exist in our security forces!"
"Our guard posts have been hidden since the Eighth Route Army's sneak attack, but it's in vain!"
"Faced with the sneak attack, before they noticed the invading Eighth Route Army, several grenades fell from the sky and exploded next to them!"
The Eighth Route Army was so cunning, they first used grenades to make sure there were no enemies in the room before continuing to charge forward!"
The captain's face became even worse and he cursed loudly!
"Bagheya Road is full of stupid pigs. They wait for work but they are no match for the Eighth Route Army!"
The lieutenant lowered his head and said nothing, and did not dare to quibble. He allowed the captain's spit particles to splash on him!
"Boom boom..."
Two explosions suddenly came in, directly interrupting the captain's scolding!
The face that was just solemn just now has turned into gloomy at this moment!
The explosion was so close that the headquarters could see the fire through the tent!
"Sir, the courtyard where the guard post is stationed was occupied by the Eighth Route Army's sneak attack troops. They threw two grenades from the courtyard to our station. An infantry squad of the Imperial Army was bombed and suffered heavy casualties!" A second lieutenant rushed into the tent and gasped.
Ruoqi reported!
"Counterattack, counterattack immediately, kill these Eighth Route Army troops for me!" the captain ordered decisively with a pair of red eyes staring at him!
The second lieutenant did not leave. He hesitated and replied: "We fought back!"
"The imperial troops from the two nearby detachments quickly dispatched to encircle the courtyard occupied by the Eighth Route Army. However, when we rushed over, the courtyard was already empty. Except for the bodies of the guard posts, not a single Eighth Route Army soldier was seen!"
"and……"
"And what? Just say what you have to say, don't hesitate!" The captain became even more angry and continued to curse!
"The Eighth Route Army came under our noses and killed people in front of us. What else is there to say?"
"Hi!" the ensign replied bravely!
"After the counterattack troops entered the courtyard, they did not find any Eighth Route Army troops, but they encountered two booby traps deployed by the Eighth Route Army during their retreat. The counterattack troops suffered heavy casualties!"
"Stupid pigs, a bunch of stupid pigs, there are so many people that they can't even catch a few Eighth Route Army troops, and they continue to lose troops and generals. When did the imperial army become so unbearable? This battle was really frustrating!" continued the captain!
Cursed!
At this time, besides yelling, he could think of no other way to relieve the rising anger in his stomach!
The adjutant remained silent. He heard the gunshots and explosions outside the headquarters becoming more and more intensive. As the deputy, he had to remind the captain to stay calm and find ways to reduce the casualties of the troops. He could not continue to be beaten passively!
He mustered up the courage to bite the bullet and report: "Sir, calm down!"
"The troops were defeated again and again, with heavy losses! I think it's not that the Imperial Army's combat effectiveness has become weaker. The real reason is that the Eighth Route Army is more familiar with the terrain than we are!"
"Only by overcoming the Eighth Route Army's geographical advantage can this problem be solved!"
The captain was not a fool, and made a decision quickly: "Order, all troops move to the top of the city. We are condescending, and I will see how the Eighth Route Army can sneak attack us!"
"Hi!"
In less than half an hour, all the Japs from the four directions of Lingqiu City were on the city wall!
The sneak attack with constant gunfire stopped as expected, but the captains were not happy at all!
Because from the first gunshot to the time when all the troops were on the city wall, the battle took less than an hour. Four brigades walked in the city and lost nearly two hundred bodies!
The second update is delivered today! Please collect, please subscribe! Please **! Please reward! (To be continued)