AWB Chapter 353: 388th Brigade's 1st Route Attack
Chapter 353: 388th Brigade's 1st Route Attack
On the front line battlefield in Jinzhong, flames of war were raging and the air was filled with smoke.
At the position of the 388th Brigade, all the brigade's artillery, totaling more than 400 artillery pieces, were ready, and they had only one target - Hill 310 in Jinzhong.
"Fire!"
Following the commander's order, the gunners quickly adjusted the muzzles and fired.
Hundreds of shells whizzed towards Hill 310, leaving countless tracks of death in the sky.
The Japanese soldiers stationed on the high ground had never seen such fierce artillery fire, and their faces were filled with fear and disbelief.
In an instant, Hill 310 was covered by artillery fire, explosions rang out one after another, and flames shot into the sky.
The Japanese soldiers on the position were blown to pieces, crying for their parents and fleeing frantically, with nowhere to hide.
The positions they built were as fragile as tofu dregs when facing heavy artillery bombardment.
Li Yunlong and Chu Yunfei stood in the command center, picked up binoculars and looked towards Hill 310.
Li Yunlong showed a smug smile on his face: "Hahaha! Lao Chu, the Japanese on Hill 310 probably didn't expect us to launch such a fierce artillery bombardment."
Chu Yunfei stood beside him, also observing the situation on the battlefield: "Yes, Commander, with such fierce artillery fire, I don't believe the Japanese can survive."
Li Yunlong nodded slightly, put down the telescope, walked to the table and picked up the radio intercom: "Artillery position, stop shelling! Save some shells for me."
"Yes, Commander!" The artillery commander's reply came over the radio.
Then, Li Yunlong adjusted the channel and ordered again: "Captain of the First Regiment, attack Hill 310 immediately. I'll give you half an hour."
"Yes, Brigadier. I will ensure that the mission is completed."
After the call, Li Yunlong walked to the command center, picked up the telescope and looked towards Hill 310.
A large group of soldiers launched a fierce attack on Hill 310 and encountered almost no resistance along the way.
The Japanese positions had been destroyed by artillery fire, and the remaining soldiers had lost their will to fight.
Li Yunlong nodded in satisfaction, thinking that this was a sure thing. "Old Chu, after capturing Hill 310, we will launch an attack on Jinzhong. You will lead the tank regiment to attack."
"Yes, Commander!"
Chu Yunfei nodded, turned and left the command center, and went down to notify the tank regiment to prepare for action.
........
in the coming time.
Under the leadership of Chu Yunfei, the 388th Brigade Tank Regiment was like a sharp sword, piercing the heart of Jinzhong City.
"Full speed ahead!"
Chu Yunfei gave orders in the command tank.
The steel behemoths of the tank regiment made a deafening roar. They rolled over the trenches, broke through obstacles, and attacked all the way. The Japanese stationed in Jinzhong seemed powerless in the face of the tank charge.
As soon as the battle started, the tank regiment was the first to break through the city gate of Jinzhong.
The huge city gate collapsed under the impact of the tanks, and the tank regiment led the infantry into the city like a tide.
"Anti-tank gun! Quick, set up the anti-tank gun!"
The Japanese commander shouted at the top of his lungs. He knew the threat posed by the tanks and was eager to stop the advance of these steel monsters.
In order to deal with the tanks, the Japanese defenders brought in large-caliber anti-tank guns.
But it is not easy to hit a tank that is moving forward.
The gunners nervously adjusted the muzzles, trying to lock onto the target.
"boom!"
With a loud bang, an anti-tank gun finally opened fire, but the shell only exploded next to a Dragon tank of the tank regiment, and the splashed mud and stones had no effect on the tank's armor.
"Fight back! Fight back!"
The tank turret quickly turned and aimed at the position of the anti-tank gun.
"boom!"
Fire spurted out of the tank's muzzle, and a shell landed accurately on the anti-tank gun, blowing it into pieces.
The 10 anti-tank guns prepared by the Japanese in Jinzhong only destroyed one Dragon tank before they were eliminated one by one by the tank regiment. The Japanese commander was furious.
After taking the city gate, the subsequent battle went extremely smoothly.
The Japs fought desperately in the city, but facing the 388th Brigade equipped with heavy tanks, their resistance seemed pale and powerless.
"Hidden firing point, open fire!"
A Japanese squad leader led his troops, who hid in a building and attempted a sneak attack on the tanks.
"Boom!"
With a loud bang, the tank's shell penetrated the wall, turning the entire hidden firepower point into ruins.
The tank guns and machine guns of the tank regiment wreaked havoc in the city, and the defensive positions and hidden firepower points built by the Japanese in the city were destroyed one after another by the tank guns.
The Japanese soldiers had nowhere to escape under the tank fire, and their resistance gradually collapsed.
Jinzhong, the gateway to the Taiyuan area, a strategic location, was captured by the 388th Brigade in less than a day, clearing the way for the attack on the Taiyuan area.
Gaoda was very happy when he learned that Jinzhong was quickly captured by the 388th Brigade.
"Good job, 388th Brigade!"
Gaoda exclaimed, and then issued a new order, "Pass my order, the 388th Brigade will continue to launch an attack, wipe out the Japanese in the Taiyuan area in one fell swoop, and surround Taiyuan City."
"Yes, Commander!"
The signalman quickly conveyed the order to the 388th Brigade.
At the same time, other Japanese troops in Shanxi area, after learning the news of the fall of Jinzhong, desperately provided support to Taiyuan.
They knew the strategic importance of Taiyuan. Once Taiyuan was lost, the war situation in the entire Shanxi region would be greatly affected.
However, the troops of other brigades of the independent column were already ready for battle.
They set up ambushes on various important roads and launched a fierce attack on the Japanese troops trying to support Taiyuan.
"Reporting to the brigade commander, our scouts have discovered a group of Japanese soldiers moving towards Taiyuan, with a number of about 2,000 people."
"Very good, they are what we are waiting for."
"Notify all troops and prepare for battle. We are going to give the Japanese a surprise here."
The Japanese support troops were suddenly ambushed by the independent column while marching. Fierce fire came from all directions, catching them off guard.
They tried to organize a counterattack, but their resistance seemed weak under the fire suppression of the independent column.
"Retreat! Retreat!"
The Japanese commander shouted loudly in the chaos, realizing that his troops had been surrounded and the mission of supporting Taiyuan could no longer be accomplished.
However, their retreat route was also cut off by the Independent Column, and they were forced to fight back and engaged in a fierce battle with the Independent Column.
.......
In Jinzhong City,
The soldiers of the 388th Brigade quickly carried out post-war reorganization and supply.
In the temporary command center, Li Yunlong, Chu Yunfei and other officers gathered here to discuss the next course of action.
Chu Yunfei, a general from the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, was well aware of the situation around Taiyuan.
He stood in front of a large map, holding a baton in his hand, pointing to the Taiyuan area on the map, and said to everyone present: "Commendations, please look at the large map."
"Although the outer area of Taiyuan is a plain, Dongshan, 5 kilometers away from Taiyuan City, is Taiyuan's most important natural barrier."
Chu Yunfei continued to explain, "In the past, the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army built a large number of fortifications and positions in the Dongshan Fortress. After the Japanese occupied Taiyuan, they must have rearranged them."
"If the 388th Brigade wants to encircle Taiyuan, they must first capture the fortress at Dongshan."
"Otherwise, we will be bombed by the Japanese artillery in the Dongshan Fortress, and it will also pose a serious threat to our logistical supply routes."
After listening to Chu Yunfei's analysis, everyone present nodded in agreement.
A thoughtful expression appeared on Li Yunlong's face.
"Old Chu, you are most familiar with the situation in Dongshan Fortress. Do you have any suggestions?" Li Yunlong asked.
Chu Yunfei nodded, he was well prepared.
"I suggest that we split our forces into two groups. One group will feint an attack on Taiyuan City to attract the enemy's attention.
The other group secretly went around to Dongshan, launched a surprise attack, and captured the fortress."
"Okay, this plan works."
Li Yunlong made the decision, "We can't give the devils any chance to breathe, we must act quickly."
Other officers also began to offer their opinions and suggestions, discussing how to allocate troops, how to launch a feint attack, and how to ensure the success of the raid.
"Brigade Commander, our artillery should concentrate its firepower to suppress Taiyuan City, while providing fire support for the assault on Dongshan." An artillery regiment commander suggested.
"Our scouts need to sneak into the vicinity of Dongshan in advance, find out the enemy's defense situation, and provide accurate intelligence for the raid." A reconnaissance company commander added.
The discussion lasted for several hours until a detailed battle plan gradually took shape.
Li Yunlong stood in the center of the command center and said loudly: "Everyone, the next step of the 388th Brigade is to capture the Dongshan Fortress outside Taiyuan, and then surround Taiyuan."
"Yes, Brigade Commander!" everyone responded in unison.
"Okay, everyone go back and get ready!"
Li Yunlong waved his hand to signal the end of the meeting.
"The troops will start to move out in an hour. We must seize the opportunity to attack."
he added, stressing the urgency of time.
Everyone quickly turned around and left the command center, returning to their respective units and issuing orders.
Every officer knows that they need to assemble and prepare their troops in the shortest possible time.
As the order was issued, the soldiers of the 388th Brigade took quick action.
"Check your equipment and make sure everything is ready!" a platoon leader shouted to his soldiers.
"Yes, platoon leader!" the soldiers replied.
An hour later, as the last ray of sunset disappeared, the troops of the 388th Brigade began to set off.