Chapter 436: Paper‑Thin Mandalay Defense Line

On the southern bank of the Mekong River, at Jiang Anguo's main artillery position, twenty‑four 105 mm howitzers roared simultaneously.

On the two southeastern fronts, thirty‑six heavy guns opened fire at the same time!

At that moment, the rain curtain over Mandalay's eastern front was torn apart by the artillery.

In the sky, a hail of densely packed shells fell like a steel rain onto the Japanese Army positions. The blast waves scattered the raindrops, and smoke mingled with rain and mud, forming a terrifying gray haze over the Japanese lines.

The eastern defensive position of the Japanese 18th Division.

On the position, Japanese soldiers were huddled in the muddy trenches and shelters, trembling.

The downpour obscured their vision, soaked their equipment, and turned the previously orderly defense into chaos.

What unsettled them even more was that they had long noticed every soldier of the Chinese army wearing gas masks; the poison gas shells they had counted on were now utterly useless decorations.

"The rain's too heavy... we can't see the other side at all," a Japanese soldier clutching his rifle said from within the shelter, his voice trembling. "Did the Chinese army's tanks move?"

The veteran beside him patted his shoulder and said with a wry smile, "I don't know if they moved, but I do know our heavy‑gun positions are definitely exposed. Yesterday Jiang Anguo's air raid destroyed our land‑based aircraft; today his artillery dares to get this close—he has no good intentions."

"Swoosh—"

A sharp, grating sound rang out, followed immediately by an earth‑shaking explosion!

"Boom—!!!"

The first 105 mm shell landed precisely on a Japanese heavy‑gun shelter.

The massive blast instantly ripped the shelter's roof off, tearing through heavy mud and timber; several Japanese gunners operating the guns were engulfed by the blast wave, never managing a scream before turning into blood‑foam and shrapnel.

The gas canisters and shells inside the shelter detonated as well, a series of explosions echoing one after another, with firelighting the sky.

"Enemy artillery! Chinese heavy guns!"

"Take cover! Quickly—!"

The Japanese soldiers, terrified, clutched their heads and scrambled desperately deeper into the shelter.

But that was only the beginning.

The second, third, tenth… shells from the thirty‑six heavy guns, as if they had eyes, precisely covered the Japanese artillery positions and heavy‑gun shelters.

The power of the 105 mm howitzer was displayed in full force amid the downpour.

Landing and exploding instantly, the shockwave swept dozens of meters, and shrapnel rained down.

The Japanese concrete heavy‑gun shelters, meticulously built, collapsed layer by layer under the high‑explosive shells like paper; the engineered trenches and shelters were leveled flat; artillery positions hidden behind woods and embankments were precisely hammered, leaving no chance to breathe.

Japanese artillery command.

A Japanese artillery colonel crouched at the muddy command post, his face ashen as he read the endless battle reports, nearly fainting.

"Report! The first artillery position was hit directly by Chinese heavy guns and completely destroyed!"

"Report! The second heavy‑gun shelter, all personnel killed, position destroyed!"

"Report! The third artillery position suffered continuous hits; the barrels are bent and cannot fire!"

One bad report after another hammered his heart like a sledgehammer.

He snapped his head up and roared at the signalman, "Quick! Request aid from division headquarters! Request air support! The Chinese heavy guns are terrifying; we cannot counterattack!"

But the signalman returned dejected, his voice desperate, "Colonel... there is no air support. Yangon's Quinary Flight Division has been annihilated, and we have not a single land‑based aircraft left!"

"Baka!!!"

The artillery colonel screamed wildly, punching the muddy ground and splashing a spray of mud.

He even imagined the cannons had given him an illusion, thinking the 15th Army still held the battlefield advantage, but now all advantage lay in the Chinese hands.

Without air support or the ability to return fire with heavy guns, facing the Expeditionary Force's overwhelming artillery barrage, they could only take hits passively, powerless to retaliate.

Within Mandalay city, the Japanese 18th Division headquarters.

Mukoda Koya stood on the observation tower in a raincoat, watching the eastern front positions being engulfed by artillery, his whole body trembling with rage, a mouthful of old blood nearly spewing out.

"Chinese army! Bageyalu!"

"Dozens of heavy guns... you dare bombard the Class A Division's artillery positions with so many heavy guns!"

His voice was hoarse and desperate, rain mixing with his tears as it ran down his face.

He knew exactly what that meant.

The 18th Division's dwindling artillery and heavy‑gun regiments were being rapidly wiped out under the Expeditionary Force's artillery barrage.

In fact, during the first wave of bomber formations bombing Mandalay, the primary mission was to destroy the Japanese heavy weapons.

Deprived of artillery support, their eastern front became an undefended plain; the 200th Division's tank regiment and tank battalion could surge in at any moment to strike the division headquarters.

"Order! All units, contract defenses! Move into the core positions!" Mukoda Koya screamed hysterically, "Quick! Stop the Chinese army's artillery! Stop their tank advance!"

But his orders could not reach the front.

The Japanese soldiers at the front had already been dazed by the artillery, unable to organize any effective defense. They could only clutch their heads, hide in the muddy shelters, shiver, and pray that shells would not strike their heads.

200th Division artillery position.

Battalion Commander Zhao stood at the command post, listening to the continual explosions behind him, watching the Japanese positions ahead being devoured by artillery, a thrilled smile spreading across his face.

"Well hit! Truly accurate!"

"Brothers, keep firing! Don't stop! Completely smash the devils' positions!"

The rain blurred his sight, but not the fighting spirit in his heart.

He turned to the nearby signalman and shouted, "Report to the division commander immediately! My artillery battalion has completed fire preparation; the Japanese eastern front artillery positions and heavy‑gun shelters are all destroyed! Request orders for the next target!"

Soon, Dai Anlan's reply came:

"Continue suppression! Extend the barrage! Targets: Japanese core positions, machine‑gun positions, communication trenches! Clear the way for the final assault! Note, avoid civilian areas!"

"Yes!"

Battalion Commander Zhao immediately relayed the order; the artillerymen continued loading, aiming, and firing.

The roar of the thirty‑six heavy guns continued unabated within Mandalay's rain curtain.

Shell after shell fell, each explosion lighting the gloomy sky. The Japanese trenches were leveled, machine‑gun positions precisely destroyed, communication trenches shattered, and the once‑sturdy defenses collapsed completely under the devastating heavy‑gun barrage.

Japanese Army soldiers' wailing cries and mournful howls, mixed with artillery fire and rain, echoed across the Eastern Front battlefield at Mandalay.

The 200th Division attacked the position.

Dai Anlan raised his binoculars, looking through the rain curtain at the Front Japanese Army positions, and a gleeful light burst in his eyes.

"Good! Excellent!"

"Artillery brothers fought beautifully! Our Artillery, fought so beautifully!"

The staff officer beside him said excitedly, "Division commander! The Japanese Army's heavy artillery has been completely destroyed, the Artillery positions have lost any resistance, their soldiers are hiding in shelters and dare not come out! Now is the best moment for the general assault!"

Dai Anlan slowly lowered his binoculars, rainwater sliding down his cheek, and his voice carried firm strength: "Transmit orders! Tank Regiment, Tank Battalion, prepare to advance! Regiment, 599th Regiment, follow the tanks and launch the general assault!"

"Tell the brothers, no matter how heavy the rain, how difficult the road, today we must seize the Mandalay Eastern Front position, retake Mandalay, and annihilate the Japanese Army's 18th Division completely!"

"Yes!"

The orders were swiftly transmitted.

Amid the rain curtain, the roar of tank engines suddenly sounded.

Hu Xianqun's Tank Regiment and Zhang Bing's Tank Battalion moved first, their tracks crushing the muddy ground as they charged toward the Japanese Army positions.

The machine guns and cannons on the tanks kept firing while advancing, sweeping away residual fire points along the way.

Following closely were the infantry units of the 200th Division. The soldiers wore raincoats, wore rubber shoes, held rifles, and moved quickly through the mud, eyes steadfast, morale soaring.

Mandalay's rain continued to pour down in sheets. Yet the Expeditionary Force's steel torrent, shielded by artillery fire, was unstoppable.

The Japanese Army's doom was now close at hand.