Chapter 37: Fierce Battle (Part 1) (Vote Requested)

  Jingjiang

  The officers and men of the Baoshan Regiment are nervously building river defense fortifications.

  At the time of crossing the river in the morning, Yue Weihan had already observed the terrain along the shore. As the Yangtze River had entered its winter dry season, both banks had exposed quite a width of sandy beach, and with the heavy rainfall over the past few days, these beaches had become muddy swamps. If the Japanese army wanted to quickly land and deploy their attack formation, they would have to first seize the Jingjiang dock.

  Of course, the Japanese army can also choose to go around the upper and lower reaches of the Jiangbei Wharf, but that would take time, at least today is definitely not enough, and with the Japanese army's consistent arrogance, unless they lose in a direct attack on the Jingjiang Wharf, they will not give up the near and go around the upper and lower reaches of the Jiangbei Wharf.

  It was based on this judgment that Yue Weihan's Jiang defense unfolded with Jingjiang Wharf as the center.

  Chi Chengfeng's 2nd Battalion and Niu Dageng's 3rd Battalion have respectively occupied the two small hills on either side of the dock, with nearly a thousand men busily digging trenches and foxholes, and two heavy machine gun emplacements have been dug in at the top of the hill. The four Maxim heavy machine guns from the original 668th Regiment Heavy Machine Gun Company are already in position.

  If it were a fine day, Yue Weihan would never have deployed the river defense works in this way.

  Isn't putting troops and heavy machine guns on the mountain top just making them live targets for the Japanese air force and artillery? But now it's overcast, with thick fog, the Japanese planes can't take off normally, plus the Japanese across from us have just arrived after a long forced march, their heavy equipment must not be here yet, at most they might have a few small-caliber mortars, which don't pose a threat.

  As for the three battalions of the original 668th Regiment, one was placed between two small hills, and the other two were placed on either side.

  The remaining 1st Battalion of Cao Xinglong and the Guard Company of Hua Hanlin served as reserve troops.

  Yue Weihan's intention was clear, to use Chi Chengfeng's 2nd Regiment and Niu Dageng's 3rd Regiment as two axes, to engage in a fierce battle with the Japanese 36th Brigade, waiting for the Japanese army to exhaust its strength, then deploy the Guard Regiment and the 1st Regiment to crush them, and defeat the Japanese 36th Brigade at one stroke.

  Yue Weihan chose to engage the Japanese army in a field battle on the banks of the Chen River, rather than letting them enter the city and fight a street battle, mainly because the Japanese air force and heavy artillery could not participate.

  In addition, Yue Weihan had another intention, that is, through this battle to restore the confidence of several thousand defeated soldiers under his command!

  Yue Weihan wanted to use this open and honest battle to make the more than 3,000 defeated soldiers who had just joined the Baoshan regiment understand that the National Army was not made of mud or paper, and the Japanese army was not invincible. As long as tactics were correct, and the National Army dared to fight to the death, even the most elite Japanese field combat troops could be defeated.

  In order to achieve this goal, Yue Weihan has even made the worst mental preparation, even if it means losing one or two main force camps, even if it means reducing the strength of the Baoshan Corps by more than half, it is also worth it!

  More than 3,000 defeated soldiers and over a thousand elite soldiers gave Yue Weihan a choice, he would choose the latter without hesitation!

  At two o'clock in the afternoon, the mist on the river became thinner and thinner, and the clouds in the sky also became thinner. The continuous rain for three days finally stopped. Through the telescope, the situation on the opposite bank of the river could be seen vaguely. Several dozen large and small ships had gathered at the dock on the opposite side of the river, and a team of Japanese infantry was boarding the ship in an orderly manner.

  "Big Root, come over quickly." Yue Weihan hastily beckoned Niu Dagen to his side.

  Niu Dagen, although the commander of the 3rd battalion, was temporarily relieved of his command by Yue Weihan. The 3rd battalion was temporarily commanded by deputy commander Wang Qing, while Niu Dagen returned to his old profession - artillery.

  "See the Japanese troops on the other side of the river?" Yue Weihan said, "Can we take them down?"

  The ox stretched out its big thumb and shook its head repeatedly, saying: "No way, the distance is too far, it's already beyond range. Unless we move the cannon to the dock, there's no way to hit the other side of the river."

  "Put the artillery on the dock?" Yue Weihan shook his head repeatedly, "No, this won't do. The little devils' grenade launchers are formidable. If we put the artillery on the dock, it'll become a target."

  "Well, I'm out of options then." Niu Dageng scratched his head and said with some helplessness.

  "Alright, get going." Yue Weihan said gruffly, "Take good care of your artillery company and be ready to deploy at any time."

  "Yes." Niu Dagen stood at attention and saluted, then turned around and hurriedly went downstairs. For Niu Dagen, the battalion commander of the infantry battalion was not as powerful as the company commander of the artillery company. What's more enjoyable than firing cannons, right?

  Cao Xinglong didn't know when he had come over, and said worriedly: "Commander, this Jiang Yun has dispersed, now all our movements are under the surveillance of the little devils on the opposite bank. Do you think the little devils will temporarily suspend crossing the river and wait for the arrival of subsequent heavy equipment before launching an attack?"

  "No." Yue Weihan's tone was very firm.

  "Why is Tuan Zuo so certain?" Cao Xinglong asked in surprise.

  "It's simple, because the enemy is the 9th Division of the Japanese Army, the 36th Brigade!" Yue Weihan said, "This is the most elite field infantry brigade of the Japanese army. In terms of surprise attacks, pursuit or special operations, the little devils' field infantry brigades are not very good at it, but if both sides engage in a positional battle, no one can surpass them."

  Cao Xinglong nodded upon hearing this, indeed the combat strength of those Japanese field divisions was very strong.

  Yue Weihan continued, "Although we, the Baoshan Camp, had previously fought several battles with the 36th Regiment and won every time, those were either night battles or defending warehouses, or simply playing a game of cat and mouse. That's why the 36th Regiment suffered defeat after defeat. But if the two armies were to engage in a real battle, with our Baoshan Camp's strength at the time, we wouldn't even be enough for the 36th Regiment to fill their gaps."

  At this point, Yue Weihan still has some self-awareness, he is not an ignorant and arrogant man.

  But the question is, with Baoshan's current strength, plus the fact that the 36th United Team across the river is exhausted and lacks heavy firepower, and it's a cross-river attack, the outcome of this battle is far from certain.

  "Besides, do you think the 36th Regiment would give up attacking just because they lack heavy artillery support?" Yue Weihan paused for a moment before continuing, "This 36th Regiment is an old nemesis of our Baoshan Brigade. We took out their regimental commander and entire command center at the Sihang Warehouse, and then we ambushed them again in the Jiufeng Mountain area of Song County. They must be itching to get revenge, so they won't let this opportunity slip away easily."

  …………

  On the opposite bank of the river, Colonel Nakagawa was also looking at the situation on the north bank through binoculars.

  It really made Yue Weihan say it, seeing the Chinese army on the opposite bank of the river rushing to repair the river defense, Nakagawa's face suddenly showed a hint of disdainful cold smile. This high-achieving graduate of the Imperial Army Academy almost superstitiously believed that the Great Japanese Imperial Army was absolutely invincible in positional warfare. The Chinese army on the opposite bank dared to set up a formation and fight a positional war, which would be utterly suicidal.

  A junior military officer saw that the Chinese army on the other side had already started repairing the river defense and couldn't help but step forward to advise: "Colonel, the Chinese army on the other side has made preparations, and the river defense works have taken shape. Shouldn't we temporarily suspend the attack? Wait for Colonel Honda and the follow-up artillery battalion to arrive before launching the attack?"

  The 36th Brigade's artillery battalion had six Type 92 infantry guns and four anti-tank guns.

  With these ten artillery pieces, it will be enough to flatten the fortifications on the opposite bank of the river, and when the infantry launches an attack later, the resistance they encounter will be much smaller.

  "No need, this is a good opportunity for us to annihilate the Chinese army on the other side. If we wait for the artillery company to arrive, it will probably be dark by then. Once night falls, the Imperial Army won't be able to cross the river and attack. The Chinese army on the other side will definitely escape again under cover of darkness. By that time, if we want to catch up with them, I'm afraid it will take a lot of trouble. We don't have much time left."

  Nakagawa flatly rejected this proposal, in fact he had no choice.

  The patience of General Shōjirō Iida, the commander-in-chief of the North China Area Army, was wearing thin. If the enemy on the opposite bank could not be eliminated before nightfall today and that cunning Chinese fox was not caught, Major-General Nakagawa would either be court-martialed or prepare to commit seppuku. Of course, that fool Takizaki would accompany him on his way.

  ……

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