Chapter 371: Target Jingmen

In the Battle of Yichang, starting today, the 13th Division must be completely eliminated from the Japanese Army's order of battle.

Including the Independent Mixed 17th Brigade, which was also annihilated in the Battle of Yichang.

Like crushing dead wood, the Japanese forces are unable to withstand the fierce onslaught of the Huaxia army.

"Brother, do you think the Little Devils have become weak?" Xu Guozhang said as he arrived at Dangyang Airport, just as he had at Changde Airport a few days earlier, the first time he saw Jiang Anguo.

He spoke excitedly, his eyes flashing: "The 13th Division is gone! The 17th Brigade is finished! This battle was fought like chopping melons and vegetables! I, a single regiment, dared to charge Dangyang, something we never even imagined before!"

The troops of the 150th Division and the 11th Division, under the command of Jiang Anguo's Engineer Battalion, rapidly expanded and repaired Dangyang Airport.

Some carried rebar, some mixed cement, and many more piled Sandbags to build temporary air forts.

After capturing Yichang, Jiang Anguo gained a strength of four thousand; this time he did not exchange the entire army, but exchanged for an Engineer Battalion of 653 men, Battalion Commander Jiang Jianshe, specialty: civil engineering.

The airport is being constructed in an orderly manner.

All the necessary materials—rebar and cement—Jiang Anguo also exchanged from the WarSystem; actually building a cement plant would be more cost‑effective, but this is not his own Territory, and he only needs to build an airport sufficient for his own aircraft to take off and land.

Another group went to construct a crossing over the Juzhang River, as the only two Bridges had been destroyed by P-38 fighter aircraft.

Good fellow, Jiang Anguo was also shocked at the Juzhang River; it is not a small stream, two to three hundred meters wide, and building a Bridge in a short time is clearly difficult.

The only way to cross is by ferry.

"Brother Xu, if I take away all the Mauser rifles, MG42 machine guns, submachine guns, and mortars from your 150th Division brothers, do you still feel confident that a single regiment could attack Dangyang?" Jiang Anguo retorted.

Xu Guozhang hesitated, "Yes!"

When his 150th Division re‑equipped at Changde, mortars were not only issued to Squads, but at least one company had three mortars available.

In the past, not even a Battalion had that many mortars, let alone a company.

Previously, breaking through Japanese fire points required piling human lives; the Little Devils' heavy firepower was nothing more than the crooked rifle‑type machine gun and the Type 92 heavy machine gun, yet those two weapons, when wielded across Huaxia, were unstoppable.

Xu Guozhang's smile froze.

He remained silent for a long while, then finally shook his head: "…I dare not."

"Why?" Jiang Anguo pressed.

Xu Guozhang shook his head and said, "In the past my entire Battalion could not even muster two mortars, and we were reluctant to waste ammunition for machine guns. Your MG42, rat‑a‑tat, is a thrill; a single clip of bullets can wipe out an entire Battalion's attack ammunition."

His voice lowered: "I remember the 1938 Battle of Wuhan, when our regiment charged the Japanese position; opposite us was a single Type 92 heavy machine gun. We fought for three days, lost over four hundred men, and finally a suicide squad crawled up and blew it up… back then the Little Devils were truly like iron."

Jiang Anguo stood up, patted his shoulder: "So the Little Devils haven't become weaker; we have become stronger."

He pointed at the Engineer Battalion at work: "Look at Jiang Jianshe's men; they can lay five hundred meters of hardened Runway in a day and build a field oil depot in three days. In the past, that required an Engineer Regiment for half a month."

Then he pointed toward the Juzhang River: "There, two bridges were blown away by combat aircraft, the river is three hundred meters wide. By the old method, building a pontoon bridge took ten days to half a month. Now, I have the Engineer Battalion prefabricate steel frames and use civilian boats; in two days we can get tanks across."

Xu Guozhang was stunned: "To say we can take Dangyang is also thanks to you, brother, for bringing those weapons and equipment. If we were still using Hanyang rifles, I wouldn't even dare attack Yidu, let alone Dangyang!"

Jiang Anguo nodded, unflinching: "Yes. Weapons are only one side; the brothers of the 150th Division are not lacking courage against the Little Devils, but previously we lacked ammunition, shells, air support, and logistics. Now we have them."

In fact, Jiang Anguo is also fighting alongside the main force; otherwise the logistical pressure would crush the troops.

Jiang Anguo paused, his gaze far‑reaching: "In the Battle of Yichang, we annihilated the Japanese 13th Division and the Independent Mixed 17th Brigade. In reality, our weapons and equipment already crush the Japanese; the Little Devils still rely on 'jade‑shattering' and bayonet charges, while we can overwhelm them with aerial reconnaissance, precision artillery, rapid fortifications, and mobile supply."

Speaking of logistics, all three forces—the 150th Division under Xu Guozhang, the 11th Division under Hu Lian, and the Independent Regiment—have all their supplies shouldered by Jiang Anguo alone.

Xu Guozhang murmured, "So… this is the gap in national strength?"

"Correct." Jiang Anguo said resolutely, "For the past five years we filled trenches with flesh because of backward industry and weak national power. Today, even in limited areas like Yichang and Dangyang, we can still display the Huaxia soldier's blood‑spirit."

At that moment, Battalion Commander Jiang Jianshe ran over to report: "Commander! The eastern section of the Runway has been hardened; the P‑38 can take off and land from 10:00 today!"

The Runway itself was not damaged; only the apron needs clearing.

"Good!" Jiang Anguo nodded, then asked, "What about the Juzhang River crossing?"

"We have requisitioned thirty‑two civilian boats; the steel‑frame pontoon bridge will allow infantry to cross tonight and vehicles tomorrow."

Jiang Anguo turned to Xu Guozhang: "Did you hear that? Tomorrow your 150th Division can ride trucks across the river and charge straight at Jingmen. The Little Devils are still fleeing on two legs."

Xu Guozhang inhaled deeply, his eyes no longer reckless, only solemn: "Brother, there is also a Zhang River ahead; will your Engineer Battalion also build a bridge there?"

"What the heck, Juzhang River, is it two rivers?" Jiang Anguo's mind momentarily lagged.

Regiment Commander Luo Xianda of the 33rd Regiment, 11th Division, walked over and said: "Commander Jiang, the Juzhang River is indeed two rivers. Here at Dangyang it is the Ju River, and near Jingmen it is the Zhang River. In this area the two rivers have merged through countless tributaries, so it can also be called Juzhang River, but the Zhang River is only seventy‑eighty meters wide; we can cross it with a ferry."

Hu Lian looked at Jiang Anguo with disdain; as a commander, he should not be so unfamiliar with geography.

"Good fellow!" Jiang Anguo whispered.

Fortunately Jiang Anguo did not deploy tanks in advance; otherwise those iron clunks and river crossings would have been a hassle. If you say they were integrated into the system, they appeared, and in front of the soldiers of the 150th and 11th Divisions, sudden news—how could that be explained clearly?

He intended to let Xu Guozhang and Hu Lian see what 'blitzkrieg' is; the Jianghan Plain is perfect for aircraft, tanks, and combined operations.

And to let the Little Devils learn what a tank is.

"Now it seems we must first capture Jingmen, then move south to seize Jingzhou and annihilate the Japanese 39th Division in one stroke," Jiang Anguo reiterated the operational objective.