Chapter 569: Singapore Campaign (7)

Zhou Haitong stood on the transport ship, watching the beachhead artillery, his gaze sharp, shouting into the communicator: "Landing craft accelerate! While Japanese Army fire is suppressed, charge the beach at once!"

The landing craft, already waiting on the sea surface, immediately surged forward at full speed; the infantry aboard gripped their rifles, eyes steadfast, showing no trace of fear, only a thirst for victory.

The sea waves battered the landing craft, the hull heaving violently, yet the infantry remained as steady as Mount Tai, staring fixedly at the beachhead ahead, ready to charge.

"Da da da—!" Just as the landing craft was about to touch shore, a few Japanese Army soldiers hidden behind a sandbag finally mustered courage, firing their rifles at the craft; bullets rained down, striking the hull and producing a "ding-dang" clatter.

"Cover! Cover immediately!" Zhou Haitong shouted; the ship‑borne machine guns on the transport ship opened fire at the Japanese Army positions, sweeping the sandbags, precisely suppressing enemy fire. Several Japanese soldiers who tried to resist fell instantly into pools of blood.

The landing craft successfully beached, its hatch opening slowly; the infantry, like tigers descending a mountain, leapt from the craft, wading through the icy sea water toward the beachhead.

They moved swiftly, covering each other, quickly seizing advantageous terrain on the beachhead, clearing remaining Japanese soldiers, and erecting temporary defensive positions to clear the way for follow‑up troops.

"Brothers, speed up! Consolidate the beachhead and await the next wave!" Zhou Haitong was the first to rush ashore, rifle in hand, personally leading the charge and inspiring the soldiers beside him.

"Occupy the high ground, Machine Gunner provide cover."

"Charge!"

"Kill!"

"Do not linger on the shore; quickly build defensive positions."

The Company Commanders of each battalion urged their soldiers to surge onto the beachhead.

In island‑landing operations, the greatest taboo is to cram a large number of troops onto the shoreline.

Especially with no cover, this spot only needs a few machine guns set up by the defenders to drive the infantry back into the sea.

Fortunately, Singapore is neither huge nor tiny; the Japanese Army fielded only half a division, making its defense here somewhat difficult.

A Japanese Army squad guarding this point, upon seeing the naval guns on the sea, clearly realized the enemy was attacking.

"Moshi Moshi, Command, it's bad, the enemy is attacking Singapore!" The squad leader finished his words.

A 406 mm shell from the Zhenhai‑type gun landed near their camp, and with a "boom" it overturned the entire camp.

The flames instantly engulfed the entire Japanese squad.

At the Singapore Command, the communications officer had not yet reacted when a huge blast was heard.

"Hey, what did you say?" the communications officer looked utterly confused.

But it was no longer necessary for him to know, because everyone at the command heard the blast; even the sleeping Xia Shan Feng Wen was startled awake.

The sound originated from the west of Singapore.

"Commander, the Chinese are beginning their attack." The staff officer approached Xia Shan Feng Wen.

Xia Shan Feng Wen nodded, "Order all units to shift westward and drive the Chinese off."

Whether American, British, or Chinese, the order Xia Shan Feng Wen received from the Southern Army was to hold Singapore to the death.

He also had no chance to retreat.

Meanwhile, the main gun of the Zhenhai‑type continued its relentless barrage, constantly bombarding Japanese Army positions around the beachhead to prevent reinforcements.

The destroyers patrolled around the landing zone, closely monitoring the sea and preventing Japanese small vessels from sneaking attacks, escorting the landing troops.

Six transport ships approached the beachhead in succession, continuously ferrying infantry and equipment ashore; on the beach, soldiers assembled orderly, advanced rapidly, and moved steadily toward Singapore's city center.

"Quick, Ammo Box, move to the front line!"

"Set up the mortar position!"

According to plan, while Zhou Haitong's Navy Marine Division landed west of Singapore, another 2,000‑strong army unit also launched a landing at a beach near Xinshan.

Under the fleet's cover, they too rushed the beach, cleared Japanese defensive forces, and pushed toward Xinshan's city center.

For this landing operation, Jiang Zhiyuan had already devised a meticulous plan: not only to let Zhou Haitong's Marine Division quickly secure a foothold in Singapore, but also to capture Xinshan, creating a north‑south mutual support posture that would completely eliminate the threat in Singapore's north.

At this moment, Xia Shan Feng Wen inside Singapore received news that the beachhead was under attack and Xinshan was also being landed upon; he felt like a caged bird, plunged into utter despair.

He had no troops at his disposal; reinforcements for Xinshan had been diverted to Kuala Lumpur, and he never expected the Chinese to strike Xinshan simultaneously.

Singapore's garrison was already thin; faced with the Nankai Fleet's fierce assault and the Marine Division's powerful landing, he could do nothing but watch the South China Army advance step by step, filled with resentment and regret.

Meanwhile on the beachhead, Zhou Haitong's Navy Marine Division had fortified its positions and was now launching a fierce assault toward Singapore's city center; a full‑scale battle to seize Singapore had begun.

Xia Shan Feng Wen did not know that Jiang Anguo, before dispatching this expeditionary force, had already anticipated the manpower disadvantage and had thought out a solution.

Singapore Island's total population was 800,000, of which 70 % were Chinese, providing the South China Army its strongest backing.

Jiang Anguo knew these Chinese had long suffered unfairness from the British.

After the Japanese conquered Southeast Asia, the Chinese, having endured Japanese oppression and humiliation, had long harbored a raging fury; whenever someone raised a call, they would inevitably step forward, fight alongside the South China Army, and wage a numerically superior war.

After Zhou Haitong's Navy Marine Division secured the beachhead, it did not rashly push forward; instead, following Jiang Anguo's pre‑war deployment, it sent some soldiers deep into Singapore's Chinese districts to rally locals into a counter‑attack force.

Every Platoon Leader and Company Commander held a large Horn, shouting loudly.

The Singapore civilians still asleep had long been awakened by the cannon fire.

They were all hiding in corners or fled into the mountains, terrified.

Yet when everyone heard the familiar sound, the fear in their hearts lessened a bit.

"Fellow villagers, come out! We are all one people!"

"South China Army's troops are coming; President Chen Jiageng sent us to drive out Little Japan, liberate Singapore, and give everyone a stable home!"

A marine stood on the street, holding a loud‑speaker Horn, shouting loudly; his voice pierced the early morning mist and spread to every corner of the Chinese district.

"Everyone come out, take up arms, kill Little Japan! Avenge our fallen kin and avenge the desecrated homes!"

Another soldier followed, shouting loudly, his tone full of fervor, inspiring every Chinese nearby.

"Follow the South China Army, kill the devils! Drive out the invaders together, rebuild our homes!"

Indeed, the three words "Chen Jiageng" carried more rallying power than Jiang Anguo.