Chapter 347

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

"Enemy tanks spotted! Number... over a hundred! The Chinese have launched a general offensive!"

Ushijima Katsuji stumbled toward his field telephone, grabbed the handset, and called the division headquarters with all his might, but there was no response at all in the receiver.

"The field telephone line has been blown apart! The signal corpsman is repairing it!" a signal corpsman reported.

"Send a telegram to the division commander immediately, send reinforcements to my regiment, I can't hold out here!

Reinforcements! I need reinforcements, send reinforcements now! Immediately! Right away!"

A lieutenant colonel commander of the tank force rushed forward and said urgently, "Colonel Ushijima! There are far too many enemy tanks; my tank force has no chance of winning in a direct clash!

I suggest deploying our tanks as fixed gun turrets on the position, coordinating with the infantry to block them with all our strength!"

Colonel Ushijima Katsuji gritted his teeth and nodded: "Agreed! All tanks will be converted into fixed firepower points on the spot!"

After speaking, Colonel Ushijima looked toward Captain Zhongwu Manxiong standing by on standby:

"You lead the Cishou Infantry Company, everyone prepare to meet the enemy! Once the Chinese tanks break into the position, at any cost, use your bodies and spike mines to block them for me!"

Captain Zhongwu Manxiong stepped forward: "Hai i! I swear to defend the glory of the Imperial Guard Division to the death!"

On the position, quite a few Japanese soldiers secretly poked their heads out, and upon seeing the overwhelming tide of tank clusters sweeping in, their legs went weak involuntarily.

This offensive was completely different from Hu Gongnan's department's previous attack; it was clearly postured to crush the Imperial Guard Division!

Boom boom boom!

The Youth Corps tanks opened fire fiercely while advancing, shells screaming past the Japanese soldiers' heads and smashing into the front and rear of the position, kicking up columns of earth.

Although they didn't hit anything, the momentum was overwhelming.

"Anti-tank preparations!" Captain Zhongwu Manxiong roared hoarsely, directing his Cishou Infantry Company.

The Japanese soldiers on the position went into a frenzy; the Japanese soldiers with white cloth strips tied around their foreheads were like ants on a hot pot, scurrying everywhere in the trenches.

In the distance, 72 tanks of the Youth Corps kicked up dust and smoke; besides that, there were armored vehicles accompanying them, totaling over a hundred tanks, with two battalions of elite Youth Army Infantry accompanying.

There were also over 2,000 auxiliary troops dispatched by Li Zhengxian's First Division under Hu Gongnan's department, pressing with the momentum of a great army, vowing to trample flat the position of the Imperial Guard Infantry First Regiment.

On the Japanese position, anti-tank firepower points began to return fire.

25mm machine cannons and 37mm rapid-fire guns opened fire first, striking at the advancing Youth Army tanks.

At the rear command post, Hu Gongnan and Song Xilian had both come to observe the battle.

In Hu Gongnan's view, he personally saw a Youth Corps 38T tank be knocked flat by the little devils' rapid-fire gun, and couldn't help but feel some heartache.

"Yu'an, the Imperial Guard Division's firepower is still not weak; it's truly a pity that the tanks were destroyed."

Qiu Qingquan still remained expressionless: "To quickly seize victory in this battle, this is a necessary cost;

tanks and tank units are issued for fighting; wanting to charge onto the Imperial Guard Division's position without a scratch is impossible;

tanks can be replenished if destroyed, but victory is hard-won!"

"Eleven o'clock direction, Japanese anti-tank gun!" the tank commander of a Sanhao Tank spotted the target.

The tank driver temporarily stopped the vehicle steadily, to facilitate the gunner's aim.

"High-explosive shell loaded... aim... fire!"

A flash of fire at the cannon muzzle, the shell flew precisely toward the target.

With a boom, that earth-and-wood cover, along with the Type 94 37mm rapid-fire gun inside and several Japanese gunners, was blown into the sky.

The Japanese Type 89 Medium Tanks and Type 95 Light Tanks were also used as fixed gun turrets, dispersed at key positions on the position.

The 57mm short-barreled gun of a Type 89 Medium Tank aimed at the Youth Corps' attack line, flames spouting from the cannon muzzle.

With a boom, the high-explosive shell exploded in the Youth Army's ranks.

But following that was a response from a Youth Army tank shell; this Japanese Type 89 Medium Tank immediately turned into firelight.

"Twelve o'clock direction! Japanese tanks!"

"Two o'clock direction! Japanese machine cannons!"

"Too high!"

"Hit!"

"Good shot! Keep advancing!"

Similar exchanges unfolded constantly inside over seventy Youth Army tanks, advancing while striking at exposed Japanese firepower points.

The Youth Army's tanks did not fight alone; the accompanying infantry advanced alternately in squads and platoons, closely following behind the tanks' sides and rear.

The MP28 submachine guns, Zhongzheng Rifles, and light machine guns in their hands formed a mobile barrier protecting the tanks from close assault by Japanese infantry.

"Two o'clock direction, Japanese machine gun nest!"

"Machine gun fire cover!"

The Youth Army's MG34 light machine guns were also set up on the spot, launching firepower suppression against the Japanese position.

Professional anti-tank squads also played a key role in dealing with Japanese tanks acting as fixed gun turrets.

They carried 13.2mm anti-tank rifles, seeking favorable firing positions under infantry cover.

Although this large-caliber anti-materiel rifle was inferior to anti-tank guns in range, accuracy, and power, it still had some effect against Japanese light-armored targets at closer distances.

There were also M2 Browning Heavy Machine Guns, sweeping fire at Japanese tanks firing in place.

Some bullets clanged against Japanese tanks; some bullets directly penetrated the armor, killing and wounding the Japanese crew inside.

The defensive line of the Japanese Imperial Guard Infantry First Regiment had already been battered to pieces by the Youth Army's artillery fire; facing the attack of over a hundred tanks and armored vehicles, they were even more powerless.

One by one, anti-tank gun positions, machine gun nests, and even tanks serving as fixed gun turrets were singled out and destroyed.

Colonel Ushijima Katsuji watched from the rear, his heart torn apart. The upgraded Cishou Xian Bing squadron he took pride in, along with its anti-tank artillery, appeared utterly pale and powerless before the Youth Army's absolute armored superiority and skilled tactics.

The only thing left to use now was the Spike Mine every man in the Spike Mine Squadron carried!

"Eight Gua! We can't let them keep advancing like this! Spike Mine Squadron, everyone, lay Spike Mines!"

Ushijima Katsuji let out a desperate roar. He knew the Position would fall sooner or later, but every moment gained was worth it—hold on until reinforcements arrived.

The reinforcements Colonel Ushijima had high hopes for were two:

First, the Imperial Guard Infantry 2nd Regiment rushing to reinforce as soon as possible; second, that damn Heavy Artillery Brigade opening fire with interdiction fire to keep the Youth Army's tanks from charging up.

Both reinforcements were now difficult to carry out.

Qiu Qingquan ordered the Artillery Position to lay extension fire, creating a barrage between the Imperial Guard Infantry First Regiment and the Imperial Guard Infantry 2nd Regiment, so the Imperial Guard infantrymen of the Second Regiment dared not pass through recklessly.

The heavily hoped-for Heavy Artillery Brigade was meanwhile being frequently harassed by Youth Army fighter planes overhead; one 150mm Heavy Gun had just been pulled out from concealment when it was shot down by a Youth Army fighter plane.

This made Major General Matsuzaki Katsuzaburo, commander of the Heavy Artillery Brigade, dare not easily send out his artillery, lest such a heavy land weapon be wasted.

So the devils of the Imperial Guard Infantry First Regiment were now trapped in isolated combat.

Though the reinforcements were so close, in reality they simply could not arrive.