Chapter 24: The Battle of Sumatra

  Sumatra is oriented approximately northwest-southeast, intersecting the equator near its center. The island is divided into two regions: western Sumatra and eastern Sumatra.

  In the east, powerful rivers bring silt downstream to form vast plains dotted with marshes and lakes. Although there is little arable land in this region, it is unfavorable for agriculture.

  But its importance for Indonesia's economic development should not be underestimated, as it produces oil on land and underground - palm oil and petroleum.

  Sumatra is a lush green island, covered with all kinds of tropical plants, full of vitality everywhere.

  The overlapping mountains are submerged in the primitive forest, the flat and calm river is surrounded by tall and straight coconut trees, whether it is a city, countryside, fields or roads, all are immersed in the green ocean.

  The green ocean and the azure sky form a harmonious and beautiful landscape, becoming a bright and unchanging scenic spot in Sumatra, leaving a deep impression on tourists.

  The western half is mountainous, with more than 90 volcanoes, the highest peak being Mount Geladandong, with an elevation of 3,805 meters. The eastern half is a plain, wider in the south and narrower in the north, with a maximum width of over 100 kilometers.

  There are many rivers, mainly including Musi River, Bantenhari River, Indragiri River, Gambir River and so on, most of which can be navigated.

  Rich tropical forests cover 60%.

  Although Sumatra has a long coastline, it lacks natural harbors. This is due to the frequent attacks of Indian Ocean swells.

  A high and rolling wave forms a long row or two, three rows to push forward towards the shore, with great force, can lift fishing boats to the top of the wave, and then flip over.

  Due to the existence of Indian Ocean swells, Indonesia's two main islands, Sumatra and Java, have almost no natural good ports.

  In December 1959, mercenaries under the name of Djakarta were used for combat in Sumatra, with a force of only one marine brigade.

  Unable to launch a large-scale attack, it had to be carried out in two stages: first clearing the area north of Pulan and then attacking the entire island.

  In 1960, the South Vietnamese Joint General Staff completed its operational deployment with two armored regiments, one marine regiment and the 2nd Fleet of the South Vietnamese Navy responsible for naval support.

  In terms of islands, Indonesia had a main force of 650,000 at that time.

  The Aceh National Army has 35,000 men and still maintains an alliance relationship for now.

  The Indonesian military equipment on the island was inferior and poorly trained, but the Acehnese rebels were also a ragtag bunch.

  What the South Vietnamese federation did not expect was that about 2,000 former Japanese soldiers of World War II participated in this defense war called heroic and tearful by Indonesia.

  They trained and led troops on Indonesian islands, and former Japanese soldiers also participated in the bitter battles defending Indonesian territory.

  In the heat of battle, a Japanese soldier wearing an Indonesian National Armed Forces uniform led by example, sacrificing himself in the front lines. The scene was widely publicized afterwards: he clutched a grenade and charged towards an enemy tank that was rushing straight at him, the grenade exploded, destroying the tank, and then he died heroically.

  The Battle of Sumatra, which took place from September to November 1960, was one of the bloodiest battles fought between the South Moluccan Federal Army and Indonesia.

  At the beginning of the battle, the South China Sea Fleet only dispatched the 1st Marine Brigade and the 2nd Armored Brigade to fight, but later had to put the 3rd Armored Brigade into battle in order to occupy the entire island of Sumatra.

  Before the war, Major General Long Jianqiang, commander of the 1st Marine Corps of Nanyue Army, predicted that Sumatra would be completely occupied within 4 days, but due to the Indonesian army's perfect defense system and tenacious resistance, this battle lasted for more than two months before it ended.

  Ultimately, as the bloodiest battle of the South Seas War in terms of casualties on both sides, due to its strategic doubts and higher death toll, the Battle of Sumatra became one of the most controversial battles in the history of the Republic of South Huaxia.

  The Japanese advisors drew a new defensive plan from their failed experience, and the Indonesian army abandoned peripheral defense and adopted a beehive-like system that complicated the terrain to strengthen internal defense systems, turning it into a war of attrition against the Southern Vietnamese army.

  The General Adviser Nakagawa Shūzan took advantage of the rugged terrain to build a composite defense system consisting of reinforced shelters, caves and tunnels.

  The main defensive position of the Indonesian Army was located in the central-south part of Sumatra, on a small hill consisting entirely of hills and steep cliffs.

  From the top of the mountain you can see most of the central and southern parts of the island, including the airport in the south.

  There are over 100 limestone caves on the mountain, which are connected to each other by tunnels. These caves were originally mining tunnels that were later used and fortified by Indonesian troops for mounting cannons and machine guns.

  At the same time, Indonesian troops also installed 81mm and 120mm mortars as well as 20mm twin-barreled autocannons at other strongpoints on the mountain, accompanied by anti-tank and air defense squads.

  To defend against flamethrowers and grenades, the entrances of the caves guarded by Indonesian troops were all upward-sloping tunnels.

  These caves and pillboxes formed a massive defensive system that spanned the entire central region of the island, greatly facilitating Indonesian military tactical withdrawals and re-occupation of these areas, and solidifying Indonesian military lines.

  At the same time, Indonesian troops also laid down thousands of landmines and heavy artillery shells along the entire front line of the battlefield. These modified fuses would explode as soon as someone or an armored vehicle passed over them.

  The entire combat plan of the Nanhua Army is as follows:

  The 1st Marine Brigade attacks on the right flank of the northern end.

  The Acehnese National Army attacked from the left side.

  The 2nd Armoured Brigade was held in reserve and provided artillery support.

  The 1st Flying Group of Nanyue Army participated in this bombing operation.

  The Southern Army fired 1,793 x 250 kg bombs and 13,412 rounds of 25 mm caliber ammunition.

  The Southern Chinese military considers this bombing campaign to be very successful, with General Michael Chang, commander of the 1st Flying Group, even claiming that the air force can no longer find targets to strike.

  In fact, the vast majority of Indonesian troops did not suffer any casualties at all, and even the Indonesian military guards stationed at the airport suffered almost no losses.

  In this action, the Indonesian military used a different firing strategy than before to avoid exposing themselves, as a result, the bombing of the South Vietnamese army only destroyed buildings and aircraft at the airport, while Indonesian soldiers hid in shelters and fortifications waiting for the joint forces' attack.

  When the bombing ended, the 1st Land Warfare Brigade of Nanyue Army advanced 10 kilometers forward, but the Aceh National Army on the left was not so lucky, they were bombarded by intense artillery fire and could not move.

  On that day, the Southern Chinese army suffered 1,100 casualties, with 200 killed and 900 wounded. The Aceh National Army suffered even greater losses, with over 8,600 casualties, including 2,350 deaths.

  However, the commanders of both sides were still optimistic that the Indonesian army was about to be annihilated because their defense line had been breached - they didn't notice at all that the Indonesian army had changed its previous way of fighting.

  The next day, the Acehnese National Army, having paid a heavy price, pushed rapidly eastward through artillery fire, leaving the Indonesian army to the west to the South China Sea.

  The western region was the most intense battleground between the two sides, with Indonesian troops occupying a large number of fortresses. At that time, the temperature reached 46°C, and the Southern Vietnamese army soon became exhausted due to the high temperature and began to suffer heavy casualties.

  Making matters worse, the only water source for the South China Sea Fleet was also contaminated with fuel oil. Nevertheless, by the eighth day of combat, the marines had accomplished their mission: they had secured complete control over the airport in central Sumatra.

  On the third day after the start of hostilities, the Southern Army began using airfields in the north, and reconnaissance squadrons started aerial reconnaissance to confirm targets for artillery fire and attack aircraft.

  On the 11th day after the start of hostilities, A-10 attack aircraft landed on the apron of the central airport and bombed Indonesian troops.

  Modified assault guns fired 140mm rockets that blasted open Indonesian infantry bunkers, and solid fuel air bombs were used for the second time in the war.

  Napalm bombs effectively burned off vegetation in the target area, exposing the entrance to an Indonesian military bunker and killing some of the Indonesian soldiers.

  The Marines advanced to the high ground of the mountain, later known as "Bloody Nose Ridge", and the commander of the leading battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Mu Jinzhong, led his soldiers in multiple attacks, but they were all quickly repelled.

  They were trapped between two mountain ridges, and suffered heavy casualties from the Indonesian military's crossfire.

  Moreover, the Indonesian military only opened fire when they could inflict heavy casualties - as the number of casualties among the Southern Vietnamese army increased, Japanese snipers hiding in the Indonesian military began to pick off stretcher-bearers from the Allied forces - they knew that as long as one fell, a new one would come up to replace him, and thus slowly deplete the strength of the Allied forces.

  In addition, the Japanese army took advantage of the night to organize small groups to raid the scattered trenches of the Allied forces. The Allied forces had to dig scattered trenches that could accommodate two people, so they could take turns resting and keeping watch.

  The bloodiest battle on Nose Head Ridge took place when the 203rd Regiment attacked Hill 100.

  Commander Mu Jinzhong lost 31% of his troops in a six-day battle.

  Captain Ma Yongfeng and his company infiltrated deep into the mountain ridge, leading his remaining 90 men to capture what he believed was Hill 100.

  After a whole day of bloody fighting, he finally reached the high ground, but in fact it was just another ridge on Bloody Nose Ridge occupied by more Indonesian troops.

  Major Ma Yongfeng's company built a small defensive area on the mountain ridge, where they fought against Indonesian troops all night. They soon ran out of bullets and had to use bayonets and fists to continue fighting against Japanese soldiers wearing Indonesian uniforms, even using empty ammunition boxes to smash at the enemy... In the end, he and his soldiers finally held on until dawn.

  When they were escorted out, the entire company had only 19 survivors left. Captain Ma Yongfeng and his company received the Medal of Honor for this.

  In the end, the Indonesian military made the 1st Marine Brigade pay a heavy price in casualties - this unit suffered 1,749 dead and wounded.

  After the bloody battle on the mountain ridge lasted for 6 days, General Qiang Yong, Commander-in-Chief of the Nanhua Army, ordered the 2nd Armored Brigade to replace the 1st Marine Corps and the disintegrated Aceh National Army.

  On September 23, the vanguard units of the 2nd Armored Brigade, the 126th, 221st and 223rd battalions entered combat and launched an offensive, but suffered heavy casualties.

  The combat team of the 223rd Regiment entered battle on October 15, and by the third week of October all Marine Corps troops and Acehnese National Army had withdrawn to second-line positions.

  Soldiers of the 2nd Armoured Brigade fought for another month against the bloodied noses at Bukit Kecil and the remaining Indonesian troops before finally occupying Sumatra.

  In the end, Indonesian troops ran out of ammunition and food, and the remaining forces surrendered.

  The 1st South China Sea Marine Brigade was severely damaged in the Battle of Sumatra, and it took a year to reorganize before regaining combat effectiveness.

  They suffered over 6,500 casualties in a month of fighting on Sumatra, more than one-third of the entire force.

  During the capture of Sumatra, the 2nd Armored Brigade also suffered more than 3,000 casualties.

  In this battle, 18,338 Indonesian soldiers defending the island were killed and more than 44,000 captured.

  The 32,000-strong Acehnese army suffered 12,684 dead and over 10,000 wounded.