Chapter 122: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 121 Reorganization Offensive

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

The Qiaoqiao Squad of the devils attempted to assault westward from the front, but after occupying a house, they were immediately counterattacked by soldiers of the Ninety-Eighth Division nearby, with hand grenades even thrown right into the devils' faces.

Squad Leader Qiaoqiao was hit by a bullet and killed, and the remnants of the squad were trapped on the spot.

The battalion commander who had landed first saw the situation was dire; the enemy were completely like demons hiding in the night, and he hurriedly ordered his troops to regroup and called on the fleet to stop artillery fire.

"Report! The Army demands the attack cease immediately; ten minutes later, artillery fire will resume. Our naval guns will strike positions with firelight as much as possible!" The communications officer of the Spring Phoenix Destroyer reported to the captain.

"These bastards have wasted so many of my naval gun shells for nothing. Tell them the naval gun barrels are overheated and need half an hour to cool down. If the Army cannot hold on, they can adapt as needed and retreat to the rear!"

Seeing the devils' naval guns actually stop, though Luo Zhuoying was somewhat puzzled, those several hundred devils on shore had to bear it all themselves!

"Order the divisional mountain artillery to bombard the devils at the front of the wharf!"

The devils' naval guns took a break; regardless of the Army idiots, Luo Zhuoying's mountain artillery seized the opportunity and opened fire to counterattack the devils who had already landed.

The Ninety-Eighth Division was able to continue effectively suppressing the landing Wang Jingwei Regime forces, and even the transport ships anchored not far away were suppressed by the mountain artillery.

Without a doubt, the devils' landing battle along the Liuhe to Wusongkou Line failed, encountering tenacious resistance from the Xia State Army.

The next morning, the atmosphere in the Shanghai Expeditionary Army Headquarters was tense.

General Matsui Iwane listened expressionlessly to the staff officer reporting the casualty statistics of yesterday's landing battle.

"Yesterday's landing operation: the Third Division suffered 312 killed in action and 232 seriously wounded; the Eleventh Division suffered 213 killed in action and 245 seriously wounded, with casualties concentrated mainly in the obstacle zones and beachheads during the landing phase... Ship losses include..."

"Enough!" Third Division Commander Fujita Susumu slammed the table, glaring at the naval officers across from him. "This is all because the Navy is stingy with their shells! While my soldiers were being beaten on the beachhead, what were your warships doing? Calculating barrel life?"

The captain of the Ryutai Cruiser stood up unhurriedly. "Division Commander Fujita, do you know how many rounds a naval gun barrel lasts? Do you know how much time and money it takes to replace a barrel?"

"Compared to the lives of Imperial Army warriors, what are these things!" Fujita Susumu was very angry.

"Then..." The captain leaned on the conference table, leaning forward, smiling somewhat unkindly. "Let me make an inappropriate analogy. In the Army's view, is a Type 89 Medium Tank more important, or the life of an ordinary soldier? I think the Army would choose the tank without hesitation. Likewise, a cruiser's naval guns are very precious!"

The conference room instantly erupted in an uproar. The Army generals glared angrily, while most naval officers wore mocking expressions.

"Bakayaro, the Navy is really too much..."

"Last night the Army consumed quite a few of our shells... these idiots..."

"Quiet!" Matsui Iwane shouted loudly and stood up. "Gentlemen, have you forgotten that we are here to fight by order of Emperor Tenghuang? Is the rift between the Army and Navy more important than the Holy War?"

"Cough, cough!"

Matsui Iwane coughed deliberately, finally turning his gaze to Tanikawa Kiyoshi, who had remained silent. "Commander Tanikawa, shouldn't you say something? I hope the Navy will fully cooperate with the upcoming operations."

Third Fleet Commander Tanikawa Kiyoshi slowly stood up, first smiling faintly toward Fujita Susumu, then speaking: "Commander Matsui worries too much. The Navy will naturally spare no effort in providing tactical guidance to the Army."

Yesterday the Third Division boasted of giving the Navy tactical guidance, but unexpectedly today the situation turned, and the Army had to turn to the Navy for help.

Hearing Gu Qingchuan deliberately emphasize the words "tactical guidance," several naval officers curled the corners of their mouths.

"Quiet." Gu Qingchuan raised both hands and pressed down, signaling the naval officers not to be too arrogant.

"I demand that all of you in the Navy, in the upcoming battles, do your utmost to assist the Army. This is the order of Emperor Tenghuang!"

Hearing Gu Qingchuan's words, Commander Matsui Iwane of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army was fairly satisfied: "Since Commander Gu Qingchuan has said this, I think any difficulty will be easily solved! By the way, how is the progress of the Marine Corps attacking Gongda Textile Mill? I can't wait to see the Army Air Force land in Shanghai!"

Tanikawa Kiyoshi nodded: "I have already arranged a detailed operational plan. The Third Fleet will allocate ten warships, carrying two thousand marines, to land at Qiujiang Wharf north of Gongda Textile Mill, then advance south to capture Gongda Textile Mill Airport, with our fleet's naval guns providing cover throughout!"

Gu Qingchuan said, walking to the map and confidently pointing to a location on the Huangpu River bank: "Once we take Gongda Textile Mill, our land-based air force can immediately station there. At that time, our air superiority will be more secure, and the battle situation will naturally open up."

Hearing this, Matsui Iwane finally relaxed somewhat: "Very good. As long as we take the airport, if the Army Air Force brings more bombers, the Army's landing pressure will be greatly reduced."

The meeting finally ended, and the Army and Navy split into two groups leaving the conference room. As the naval officers filed out, they could still be heard talking and laughing softly: "It seems the Army indeed needs proper guidance... losing so many men just getting off the ships."

The Army generals, meanwhile, seethed with anger. Third Division Commander Fujita Susumu slammed his gloves onto the table: "These Navy idiots! They formulated the plan for the Marine Corps to attack Gongda Textile Mill themselves, demanding the fleet provide full cover, but what about us?!"

Only Matsui Iwane gazed at the location of Gongda Textile Mill on the map. Although Matsui Iwane was an Army general, what he had to consider first was how to take Shanghai. More often than not, as the supreme commander of the Wang Jingwei Regime, he still had to try to reconcile conflicts as much as possible.

"That's enough. Gu Qingchuan has already promised that his subordinates will fully cover us. I have also requested that the nearby aircraft carrier dispatch fighters for support. You will launch a new attack at dawn. You must open a landing field along the Liuhe to Wusongkou Line within two days!"