binnovel Chapter 454 Breakthrough
Chapter 454 Breakthrough
During this attack, the officers and soldiers of the 24th Regiment of the Japanese Army clearly felt that the mortar fire of the Chinese army was more intense. The intensity of this artillery support also gave the regiment commander, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu, who was lying on the ground, an unusual feeling: the Chinese army was about to launch a general offensive.
From the distance came the deafening roar of the Chinese army's charge. The regiment commander, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu, could clearly tell from the roar that the Chinese army's offensive forces had been rotated.
This is trouble. If the Chinese army, which has already shown signs of fatigue, had attacked, the regiment commander, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu, would not have been so nervous. But if a new attack force was sent to attack his tired troops, he would definitely not be able to stop it.
Retreat, retreat quickly, first create some distance between yourself and this new Chinese army, you have to wear down the morale of this Chinese army first, otherwise your troops will have no chance of winning.
"Retreat..." As the commander of the corps, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu, shouted the word "retreat", a mortar shell landed accurately less than ten centimeters away from the commander of the corps, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu, and directly blew the commander of the corps, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu, causing him to flip twice in the air and fall to the ground.
The commander of the regiment, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu, was almost blown into two pieces by the mortar shell. The flesh on his stomach was cut open by shrapnel, and his white intestines fell out.
The commander of the regiment, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu, had blood all over his mouth and his whole body twitched for more than ten seconds before he completely stopped breathing. The several officers and soldiers around him were either dead or injured, and they were unable to convey the order to retreat that Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu wanted to give before his death.
Without the unified command of the regiment commander, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu, the remaining officers and soldiers of the 211th Regiment could only resist on the spot. However, under the fierce mortar fire of the new th Division, the officers and soldiers of the th Regiment could only pray that the shells would not fall near them. As for shooting at the charging Chinese army, they could only do their best.
The officers and soldiers of the new 211th Division had just been transferred up from the rear. For them, the whole journey was all about hurrying. Seeing that other troops had already achieved some military merits, they were a little anxious. Moreover, the morale of the officers and soldiers was at its highest. Facing this attack, the officers and soldiers of the new 211th Division also exerted their greatest strength and rushed towards the loose defense line of the Japanese army at the fastest speed.
The remaining officers and soldiers of the 24th Regiment never received the order to retreat from the regiment commander, Colonel Ikuro Kawakatsu. Seeing that the attacking Chinese troops were about to rush to them, the remaining Japanese officers and soldiers could only stand up from the ground with guns in hand and rush towards the attacking Chinese troops. All Japanese officers and soldiers knew that this was the last battle of their lives. Facing such a large number of Chinese troops, there was no way they could leave alive.
Faced with the desperate resistance of the remaining Japanese troops, the new 211th Division used the tactic of using numbers to bully the few to the extreme. Almost all the men in the division rushed forward to engage in close-range hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese troops, hoping to use their absolute huge numerical advantage to eliminate this Japanese rearguard blocking force in the shortest time possible.
The officers and soldiers of the 24th Regiment of the Japanese Army were helpless and frustrated. Each of them had to face the beating of seven or eight Chinese soldiers at the same time. It was almost difficult to achieve a one-for-one bayonet fight. The Chinese soldiers would not insist on a fair duel with them. Several bayonets stabbed at every Japanese officer and soldier almost at the same time.
The battle on the 211th Regiment's side ended very quickly. After just over ten minutes, the th Regiment of the Japanese Army had completely disappeared from the combat sequence of the th Division. After eliminating the blocking Japanese troops, the new th Division cleaned up the battlefield and began to accelerate its pursuit to the north. There were more Japanese troops ahead waiting for them to be eliminated.
Two hours later, the troops from the Ninth War Zone's two wings finally arrived at the Xinqiang River and began to attack the Japanese defensive positions on both sides of the Xinqiang River. For a while, the sounds of gunfire and explosions on both sides of the Xinqiang River resounded through the sky.
About thirty minutes after the battle on the Xinqiang River began, the Chief of Staff of the 6th Division, Major General Sadami Nozaki, and his accompanying officers and soldiers rushed to the pontoon bridge on the Xinqiang River side. Here, Chief of Staff Major General Sadami Nozaki met the division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, who had been waiting there.
"Sir, division commander, why are you still on the south bank of the Xinqiang River? Judging from the gunfire, the attack of the Chinese army's encirclement forces seems to be very fierce. It is too dangerous here." Chief of Staff Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki walked quickly to the side of the division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, bowed and said anxiously.
"Mr. Nozaki, I'm waiting for you here. When you arrive, we will retreat to the north bank of the Xinqiang River together via the pontoon bridge. We came here together before, so now we should go back together." The division commander, Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro, said to the chief of staff, Major General Nozaki Sadatsumi with some emotion.
When Chief of Staff Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki heard that the division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, was waiting here because he was worried about his safety, he was deeply moved and bowed deeply to the division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba again to express his gratitude.
The division commander, Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro, patted the chief of staff, Major General Nozaki Sadatsumi on the shoulder and said, "Let's go, Nozaki-kun, let's retreat to the north bank of the Xinqiang River. We still have to command the troops to stop the Chinese army's attack from both wings. Some of our attacking troops have not yet withdrawn."
"Your Excellency the division commander is right. Let's cross the river quickly. Also, don't worry, I have already ordered the troops to abandon all heavy weapons and equipment and speed up the retreat. I believe the troops behind will be here soon." Chief of Staff Major General Sadami Nozaki and the division commander Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro boarded the pontoon bridge and walked towards the north bank of the Xinqiang River, while reporting the order to abandon heavy weapons to the division commander Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro.
In response to the report from Chief of Staff Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki, the division commander Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba simply nodded. He was the one who issued the order himself, and it didn't sound surprising to him now.
"By the way, Mr. Nozaki, let the engineering corps place explosives on the pontoon bridge. After the troops have withdrawn, blow up the bridge. It will be very difficult for the Chinese army to cross the Xinqiang River. We must at least ensure the demarcation line between the two sides before the war." When the division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, was about to reach the north bank of the Xinqiang River, he suddenly whispered an order to the chief of staff, Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki.
(Thanks to 無謀何1992, the beef jerky-loving Weiguogong, the unique Manabe Kazu, the director of Shenlong Library, and the one who only eats dumplings without vinegar for their gift support! Thank you all for your support and encouragement!)