Chapter 472

  In real history, Liu Han Shan's armored train did block the Japanese army's attack on Tian Tai Zhai at one point, but with the emergence of its nemesis, bombers, this train became an armored train damaged by planes.

  It was not until then that the Northeastern Army officers and soldiers realized that even the most solid armored trains were no match for air power. In the end, on the 28th, Liu Hanshan's armored train was finally destroyed under the alternating bombing of six aircraft.

  To avoid repeating the mistakes of history, Li Bin decided to mobilize Liu Hanshan himself and no longer allow his armored train to advance alone. When Li Bin saw that Liu Hanshan was willing to listen to his deployment, he was overjoyed in his heart, and thus his Righteous and Brave Army had another powerful force that could kill a large number of enemies!

  Li Bin walked up to the map and pointed at it, saying: "Han Shan brothers, you see, according to General Shao's plan, your convoy should be stationed at Tian Tai Zhai train station. However, there is a lack of our reinforcements over there, even if it's just a dozen miles away from the 655th regiment. If your train comes under attack by Japanese planes, it will drag down the soldiers of the 655th regiment who come to rescue you and get ambushed by the Japanese on their way."

  After finishing speaking, Li Bin glanced at Liu Hanshan, and Liu Hanshan asked in confusion: "Is the plane really that scary?"

  Li Bin smiled and said, "Perhaps you don't know the power of aircraft in modern warfare, but I'm from West Point Military Academy, I've studied 'Command of the Air' and 'The Paths of Heaven', the role of aircraft in future wars will become more and more important! And we have no air force at all, if we don't learn to hide ourselves, our army will be bombed without being able to fight back!"

  Li Bin paused for a moment, looking at Liu Hanshan's bewildered eyes, and continued to point at the map: "You see here, Gou Bangzi is the intersection of the North Ning Railway and the Gouhai Railway. It is a strategic location that controls the passage from Liaodong to Liaoxi. The Japanese will definitely gather a large number of troops to attack here! My strategy is to defend step by step. Your armored train has a big target, it's easy to be attacked from the air, so you can't entangle with the enemy in a fixed location, you must advance and retreat quickly, listen to my command at any time, when it's time to advance, give the devils a fatal blow! Then quickly withdraw back to the Daling River defense line, where I have already arranged for someone to build a special camouflage for your armored train, which can avoid being attacked from the air."

  Liu Hanshan nodded as if he understood, and said: "As long as we can defeat the Japanese invaders, whatever you say, I Liu Hanshan will do!" To be honest, Chinese soldiers of that era simply did not understand how terrible air threats were.

  Li Bin smiled slightly and patted Liu Hanshan's shoulder: "Good brother, your fleet will not fight alone against the enemy! We have millions of righteous and brave soldiers, and my tank fleet! My brothers and I will gather together to resist the Japanese invaders!"

  Leaving the train station, Li Bin arrived at the repair factory, where the 32 "earth tanks" he needed had all been modified, including one that was his own command vehicle. On the command vehicle, he would install a powerful anti-aircraft machine gun, which would be operated by Hong Biao. The problem of bullets had already been solved by Xiao Bai, who had sent over some American 7.62mm heavy machine gun bullets specifically for use with this machine gun.

  The remaining thirty-one Type 94 tanks were each fitted with a turret mounting one Type 24 heavy machine gun and two Czech ZB-26 light machine guns.

  In addition, Li Bin also had Wang Zihao assemble a batch of 1.5-ton trucks, and they assembled a total of sixteen 1.5-ton trucks. After the trucks were equipped with steel plates, the top of the carriage was not sealed, and sandbags were piled on top, and a high-altitude machine gun converted from a Maxim heavy machine gun was set up on the carriage. This kind of truck can withstand certain air threats. Because at that time, Japan's main bomber was the 88-style bomber, which was still a biplane with slow flight speed and low altitude. Although the volunteer army's anti-aircraft soldiers had not received any training and did not know what lead was, they almost had no chance of hitting the plane. However, with this weapon, it can force the Japanese planes to dare not lower their height to drop bombs, which can reduce many casualties.

  Experienced snipers and special soldiers can now train on their own under the leadership of outstanding students such as Huang Hua, Wu Congyu, Zheng Dalong, and Fang Juntian. At this time, Li Bin does not need to worry about these excellent talents. Now that the war is imminent, he still needs to worry about the Goubangzi defense works and the Daling River defense works, two defensive lines.

  Zhang Haitian and Xiang Qingshan's Righteous and Brave Army troops had received notification from Li Bin, their mission was to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese military railway line, tear up the railway tracks, and bring back the rails. Those rails could be used to reinforce their own fortifications.

  Li Bin took Hong Biao and left Jinzhou City on horseback, passing by the Dalinhe River works. The two did not stay long and first went to the Gou Bangzi defense line to observe the situation of the works and deployment. It was clear that Zhang Haitian and Xiang Qing's Righteous Army were indeed living up to their reputation. They utilized the mobility of cavalry to repeatedly enter the Japanese-controlled area, dismantling railways and transporting a large number of rails back to the Gou Bangzi railway station.

  A steam locomotive let out a long whistle, and a train loaded with rails slowly started up, heading in the direction of the Daling River defense line. These rails would be transported back to the Daling River defense line, on the one hand to reinforce defensive fortifications, and on the other hand, when our own railway lines were bombed and destroyed, engineering troops could quickly repair the railways, ensuring that armored trains could maneuver and attack the enemy.

  On the trench defense line, soldiers are sweeping out the snow accumulated in the trenches and piling it outside. The piled-up snow melts on the surface under the sunlight and quickly freezes again. As long as it is tapped several times with an iron shovel, the ice blocks formed from the snow will become harder and harder, and they will also play a protective role for the fortifications.

  Outside each solitary earthwork, the soldiers were busy as could be, pouring bucket after bucket of water melted from snow onto the earthworks. The water quickly froze into ice, layer upon layer, transforming the earthworks into "ice forts" that blended seamlessly with the snowy terrain, not only becoming even more solid but also making it increasingly difficult for the enemy to detect these hidden bunkers.

  Li Bin walked back and forth on the battlefield, carefully observing for any weaknesses. At this moment, a young soldier passed by Li Bin's side, he saw Li Bin hastily salute: "Commander!"

  Li Bin looked at the young warrior and asked with a tinge of concern, "Kid, what's your name? How old are you this year?"

  The little warrior replied: "My name is Xie Haotian, and I will be sixteen years old in a month."

  "You're still just a kid, how did you end up joining the army?" Li Bin asked.

  Xie Haotian answered with grief and indignation: "The little devils have occupied my hometown, my parents were killed, and my sister and younger sister were all taken away by the devils! A few days later, my sister and younger sister were successively ravaged to death by the devils! I want revenge for them!"

  Li Bin patted his shoulder: "Give me a good fight against the devils! Remember, every devil you eliminate will save dozens of Chinese people from their evil clutches!"

  "Yes!" Little Warrior stood at attention and replied loudly.

  Li Bin walked into the command post of Gou Bangzi, which was his command post at that time. The command post was covered with a thick layer of snow on top. Standing inside the command post and using binoculars, one could see everything around. The telephone lines had all been set up, and all the routes were connected to each basic-level command post. Here, he could command the first line of defense for Jinzhou at ease.

  As for the defensive works of Goubangzi, Li Bin was very satisfied. After leaving Goubangzi, he came to the second line of defense, which was also a key point in the defensive focus: the Daling River defense line.

  The warriors of the engineering battalion have, according to his request, chiseled open the ice surface, buried explosives wrapped in layers of waterproof cloth and oil paper inside the ice layer, pulled up the fuse, and then covered it with snow. From the outside, you can't see that there are explosives buried under the ice layer. When the time comes, they will use electric detonation to ensure that the fuse won't be unable to explode due to getting wet.

  The bridge piers of the railway bridges and highway bridges have already been embedded with explosives. Once the Goubangzi position is lost, after the defending troops retreat back to the Daling River defense line, they can immediately enter the positions for defense. When the Japanese come, as long as they step onto the bridge, the bridge will be detonated; if they tread on the ice surface, the ice surface will be blasted open.

  Of course, the work of the engineering battalion was carried out quietly at night, because there were many Japanese agents in China and a considerable number of traitors serving the Japanese. To ensure that no secrets were leaked, Li Bin had to use his utmost ingenuity.

  Like the work of the Tongguo Fort, the trenches here are also laid out in a zigzag shape to ensure that the defenders can survive in large numbers when subjected to heavy artillery bombardment by the Japanese army. At the same time, according to Li Bin's requirements, a large number of anti-artillery caves were dug inside the trenches, where soldiers could take cover during the Japanese artillery bombardment.

  It was now December 16th, and there was still a week until the Japanese attack on December 23rd.

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