Chapter 192: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 192: Dachang Operation

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

After seeing the Xia Guo Army retreat, the Wang Jingwei Regime also tasted success, occupying Luodian, Yanghang, Jiangwan, and other places, once again seeking to advance step by step.

Dachang became the new target of the Wang Jingwei Regime, in order to split the Center Army and the Left Wing Army into two halves.

In the defense zone of the Center Army, the Wang Jingwei Regime's Eleventh Division, after replenishing its troops, entered Hongkou, attempting to seize Hongkou from Lv Muzhi's hands.

However, the Wang Jingwei Regime soon discovered that seizing Hongkou was far more difficult than imagined.

Hongkou belonged to the urban area, with numerous buildings; no matter how fiercely the Wang Jingwei Regime's naval guns bombarded, they could not clear it out. After the Eleventh Division entered, they were forced to engage in street fighting and were soon surrounded from all sides.

For the street fighting in Hongkou, the Wang Jingwei Regime dispatched tanks and armored vehicles to cooperate in combat, while Lv Muzhi's tank troops did not invest too much into the Hongkou region but were used to guard against large-scale armored offensives by the Wang Jingwei Regime.

The Youth Army in the Hongkou region was already equipped with a large amount of anti-tank firepower. Cooperating with the German-equipped Division, they fought the Wang Jingwei Regime in the streets and alleys. The Wang Jingwei Regime could not advance half a step and soon fell into this quagmire.

Moreover, there was the Hongkou Command, previously garrisoned by the Wang Jingwei Regime's Marine Corps, in the Hongkou region. After the Xia Guo Army garrisoned there, it became a stronghold for both offense and defense, inflicting heavy casualties on the Eleventh Division entering Hongkou.

Regarding the defense of the Hongkou region, Lv Muzhi was generally relieved, mainly because Dachang was relatively open, being the connecting point between the Left Wing Army and the Center Army, and an excellent choice for the Wang Jingwei Regime's attack.

However, there was also some good news for the Xia Guo Army: Dachang was farther from the Yangtze River Estuary and the Huangpu River, so the threat of the Wang Jingwei Regime's naval guns was much smaller, and their naval gunfire was not very accurate. Meanwhile, the Heavy Artillery Regiment stationed by Lv Muzhi in Nanxiang could cover Dachang with firepower.

The Wang Jingwei Regime's army had no choice but to move out its heavy artillery force again, and also assembled armored forces, with aviation units cooperating in combat.

To seize Dachang, the Wang Jingwei Regime organized the forces of the Third Division and the Sixteenth Division, two divisions, plus armored vehicles, Type 95 Light Tanks, Type 89 Medium Tanks, Type 97 Medium Tanks, and more than fifty vehicles, throwing them into the Dachang operation.

At the same time, the Wang Jingwei Regime's aviation was not idle either. Whether Army Aviation or Navy Aviation, all took to the skies together. The Type 96 Carrier Fighters flying from aircraft carriers darkened the sky.

The Gongda Textile Mill Airport was also repaired by the Wang Jingwei Regime. Army Aviation dispatched Type 96 Land Attack Aircraft (bombers) and the new Type 97 Fighter Planes, throwing them into the Yanghang operation.

Guofu Air Force Commander's fighters urgently took off to intercept, and Lv Muzhi's Southwest Air Force also took off in large numbers, guarding the sky over the Xia Guo ground forces.

Over Dachang, fighters from both sides were entangled with each other. The howling of aircraft machine guns and cannons shook the clouds, and planes trailing black smoke kept crashing.

Whether the Wang Jingwei Regime or the Xia Guo Air Force, at this moment neither had time to attend to ground attacks. The struggle for air superiority entered a white-hot stage.

On the ground, after the Wang Jingwei Regime's artillery bombarded for a while, tank clusters roared toward the outer perimeter positions outside Dachang Town.

More than fifty tanks, including the newest Type 97 Medium Tanks, Type 95 Light Tanks, and Type 89 Medium Tanks, formed a steel torrent, followed by dense ranks of Imperial Army Xian Bing.

Chen Cheng dispatched Du Yuming's Armored Corps to meet them. Having previously violated the Principal's order by retreating from Luodian, this time he had to perform well.

"Anti-tank guns, fire at will!"

"Armored Corps, prepare to sortie!" Du Yuming issued the order from inside the command vehicle.

Of Du Yuming's three tank companies, only the First Company was dispatched.

Because Du Yuming's First Company's Vickers 6-ton Tanks were the only unit equipped with tank cannons, while the Second Company's Amphibious Tanks and the Third Company's Type 1 Tanks were only equipped with machine guns; bullets hitting the Imperial Army tanks' armor could not pose any threat at all.

Du Yuming decided to first use anti-tank guns to block the Wang Jingwei Regime's armored offensive, observe the attack effect, and if it didn't work, then send tanks out to meet them.

At the same time, Lv Muzhi lent him tank destroyers, which Du Yuming treasured like a baby. They were placed on the anti-tank gun positions in the rear to stop the Wang Jingwei Regime's armored offensive.

Zhou Weiguo also arrived at the Dachang battlefield at this time. Under Lv Muzhi's orders, he brought two tank companies to support the battle: one 38T Tank Company and one Long-barreled Type 3 Tank Company.

Du Yuming had originally been somewhat worried in his heart, but now with Zhou Weiguo's support, he felt much more reassured.

Zhou Weiguo observed the fortifications at Dachang. Facing the Wang Jingwei Regime's armored forces, Chen Cheng drew out ten 37mm Anti-tank Guns, and at the same time Liao Yaoxiang also supported M2 Heavy Machine Guns and Oerlikon Aircraft Cannons and other equipment.

"Anti-tank guns, aim at the lead Type 97, armor-piercing shells, fire!" On the position, the anti-tank gun commander shouted hoarsely.

"Bang! Boom!"

Ten 37mm armor-piercing shells whistled out, rushing toward the Wang Jingwei Regime's armored column.

Some pierced through the Wang Jingwei Regime's tanks front and back, while others ricocheted.

A Type 97 Medium Tank rushing in front had a shell from the 37mm Anti-tank Gun bounce once off the Type 97's armor but failed to penetrate!

The Type 97 Medium Tank's Tank Commander was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "Our Type 97 Medium Tank has been tested and can withstand direct fire from 37mm Anti-tank Guns head-on! Continue advancing!"

The Tank Commander was very confident. When the Type 97 Medium Tank first appeared, during protection capability tests, they used the Wang Jingwei Regime's domestically produced Type 94 37mm Rapid-fire Gun to fire directly at the Type 97 Medium Tank's frontal armor, obtaining very satisfactory results. The 25mm armor could withstand direct fire from 37mm guns at a distance of 1000 meters.

"Damn it! The new tanks of the little devils have fronts that are too hard!" A Youth Army gunner shouted vexedly.

However, the gun commander was very confident. The distance was farther, already over one thousand meters. Get a bit closer, I don't believe the little devils' tanks can withstand our anti-tank guns.

The Imperial Army's tanks obviously also discovered the anti-tank guns' position. The turret rotated rapidly, and the 57mm Tank Cannon attacked the Xia Guo Army's anti-tank gun positions!

The Wang Jingwei Regime's armored column launched a dense attack. Machine gun bullets and shells poured fire onto the anti-tank gun positions.

The Wang Jingwei Regime's Xian Bing also began to charge following the tanks.

The Xia Guo Army in the Dachang positions also counterattacked with Oerlikon Aircraft Cannons and M2 Heavy Machine Guns.

For a time, blood and flesh flew everywhere in the Dachang area.

The Wang Jingwei Regime came with great momentum. It was obvious they were determined to take Dachang at all costs.

"Boom!" One anti-tank gun position along with its gun crew was hit by the Wang Jingwei Regime's tank cannon.

As the distance closed, other anti-tank guns immediately returned fire. One Type 97 Medium Tank was directly hit by an anti-tank gun. The shell drilled into the tank's interior, and the crew members inside were dead or wounded.

The Wang Jingwei Regime finally understood that the newest Type 97 Medium Tank could not even withstand the Xia Guo Army's 37mm Anti-tank Guns!

Regarding this point, Du Yuming was very surprised. He had thought the Wang Jingwei Regime's Type 97 Medium Tank was some formidable character.

Zhou Weiguo laughed: "When the Wang Jingwei Regime's Type 97 Medium Tank was tested, they used their domestically produced Type 94 37mm Rapid-fire Gun for testing. It can only be said that the Wang Jingwei Regime's Type 94 37mm gun was too lousy. When it meets our Solothurn 37mm Anti-tank Gun, what should be penetrated will still be penetrated!"

"Haha, yes. The 37mm guns we use are not the little devils'—that's German technology!"

However, the Wang Jingwei Regime had spared no expense this time. Since hardness was insufficient, they made up for it with numbers. A large number of tanks and Xian Bing surged over like mountains and seas, fantasizing about deciding the outcome in one battle and directly driving the Xia Guo Army out of Dachang.

"Commander Du! The anti-tank guns can't hold! The Wang Jingwei Regime has too many tanks. I'm afraid our anti-tank guns aren't enough!" The observation post reported urgently.

Du Yuming's face turned iron-green. Knowing he could not wait any longer: "Tank First Company, all sortie! Block them!"

Twenty Vickers 6-ton Tanks rushed out from the rear. Their 47mm short-barreled guns fired fiercely, engaging in a bloody battle with the Wang Jingwei Regime's tank group.

On the Wang Jingwei Regime's side, both the Type 97 Medium Tanks and Type 89 Medium Tanks used 57mm short-barreled guns, while the Type 95 Light Tanks used 37mm Tank Guns.

Whether it was Du Yuming's tanks or the devils' tanks, basically whoever hit the other first could win the shootout, since neither side's tonnage or armor thickness was very high.

A Vickers Tank successfully interrupted a Type 97 Chi-Ha's track, but was immediately covered by another Type 97 Chi-Ha's secondary gun firepower; its thin armor was easily torn open, the fuel tank was hit, and it burst into flames instantly.

Seeing Du Yuming send out his tanks, the Japanese tank group realized this was a force posing a great threat to them.

"Flank them! Wipe out the living strength of the Chinese tanks!" The Japanese Army armored commander discovered this tank force and immediately commanded the surrounding tanks to gather and annihilate them.

Seeing his Vickers Tank Company in danger, Du Yuming sent out the borrowed tank destroyers to attack the Japanese tanks.

At the critical moment, a deeper and more powerful engine roar and cannon fire suddenly sounded from the battlefield flank!

Zhou Weiguo commanded his tank troops and also joined the Dachang battlefield.

"Armored Tank Regiment, attack!" Zhou Weiguo calmly ordered, "Type 3 Tank Company, frontal assault, knock out the Japanese Type 97 Chi-Ha! T Tank Company, flank through the wings, clean up those light fellows! Anti-aircraft Vehicles follow up, sweep the infantry!"

Twelve Panzer III Medium Tanks appeared on the battlefield flank like steel beasts, their 50mm long-barrel guns steadily aiming.

"Bang! Boom!"

The side of the turret of a Type 97 Medium Tank besieging a Vickers Tank suddenly exploded into a ball of firelight, thick smoke surging out from every gap instantly, completely paralyzing it.

"Eight Gua! It's the Chinese Army's main battle tank!" The Japanese Tank Commander shouted in terror.

At the same time, twelve T Light Tanks rushed out from the left and right wings at high speed, like agile cheetahs, using their excellent mobility to get to the side-rear of the Japanese tanks; the Japanese so-called latest Type 97 Medium Tank still couldn't withstand the 38T's flank assault, and dealing with the little ghosts' armor was more than enough.

When the Japanese launched the Dachang Operation, at the Jinshanwei Beach direction, Tenth Army Lieutenant General Commander Yanagawa Heisuke, riding a huge fleet and bringing the strength of three divisions, prepared to carry out a flank landing in Hangzhou Bay.