Chapter 16: Frontal Assault!

  About five or six kilometers south of Beida Camp, a lush forest grew!

  In the north, the most common ones are broad-leaved forests, especially in the northeast where pines and poplars are the most abundant, and almost every forest has the shadows of these two trees!

  This forest is a typical mixed type of pine and poplar trees, with tall pine trees that seem to reach the sky, their large canopies stretching out like giant umbrellas!

  The forest is not very large, only over 100 meters long and 300-400 meters wide. However, the inside of the forest is densely covered with wild vines and weeds, which greatly affects visibility!

  Under the night sky, the distant forest was dark and oppressive, like a piece of dark cloud, or like a huge black hole, anything that went in would be swallowed up!

  That's what Suguru Kawabata of the 1st Independent Guard Brigade saw through his binoculars!

  Riding on his blue ocean horse, Kōji's straight military uniform and tightly tied epaulets showed off the strict Kantō Army style!

  It must be said that the Japanese Kwantung Army's combat effectiveness was still quite strong, whether it was military discipline or equipment and combat capabilities. At that time, there were not many armies in Asia that could contend with them!

  Kogorō Hyūga, 45th class graduate of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy, majoring in infantry command course, was also one of the top students at school. His unique combat command style excelled at regular warfare, leading his troops to break through from the front lines.

  Due to his outstanding command in battle, Ogawa was promoted to the rank of Commander of an Independent Guard Unit and Lieutenant Colonel within five years.

  Beside him, several deputy captains of the first battalion were waiting for their commander's orders. Seeing him lost in thought, they opened their mouths to ask, "Battalion Commander, why did you order the troops to stop advancing? Island Battalion Commander is still waiting for our support."

  Kawarabayashi Udō put down the telescope, then pulled off the white gloves on his hands, brushed off the dust from his shoulders and said slowly, "What was Article 141 of the Infantry Drill Regulations at the Army Academy?"

  Several of the company commanders were also graduates of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy, some even earlier than Ogawa Masaji, but they did not rise as quickly and instead became his subordinates.

  When Xiao He Yuan Pu asked this question, several people hurriedly straightened their waists on horseback and loudly recited the contents of Article 141 of the Army Drill Manual.

  Several team leaders all recited it fluently, and Kawahara Osamu nodded in satisfaction before continuing, "Now take another look at this forest. What do you feel?"

  Several squadron leaders raised their binoculars and carefully observed the situation in the woods again, then exclaimed together, "Something is not quite right with this forest!"

  "Yes, you see, the forest is silent, not even a single animal sound can be heard, it's as if it's a lifeless region. And I seem to have caught a whiff of death, although it's not obvious, but it gives me a thrilling feeling!" Ogawa Hiroshi said slowly, pointing out several suspicious places in the forest with his hand as he spoke.

  Several squad leaders listened to his account and finally understood where the problem lay, so they nodded in admiration, "High, it's still you, Captain, who is capable. The Japanese are so cunning and deceitful, but you've discovered their plot!"

  "This is nothing, the Chinese Sun Tzu's Art of War and Thirty-Six Stratagems had already mentioned it long ago. It's just that they themselves abandoned these essences of their ancestors, while our Great Japanese Empire is good at borrowing and absorbing, making them our own things!" Ogawara Uji seemed to be unmoved by the praise from his subordinates, simply waving his hand casually, stopping them. "Now, I command, the First Squadron moves left, the Second Squadron moves right, the Third Squadron presses forward, formation is a frontal battle formation, artillery launches an attack, firing at the position I pointed out earlier!"

  "What's wrong, Captain? Since you know the Chinese have an ambush, why do you still want to launch a strong attack?" Several squadron leaders were shocked and hastily persuaded him.

  Kogoro smiled confidently, waving his arm and pointing directly at the forest in front of him. "The Chinese have low combat power, even ten of them can't beat one of us. I'm going to break through their defenses head-on and make them remember that the Imperial Japanese Army is invincible. From now on, they'll flee as soon as they see us!"

  He was actually trying to wage a psychological war, creating an invincible mental shadow of the Japanese army over the Chinese military, so as to greatly reduce the resistance in future battles.

  Several squad leaders finally understood their battalion commander's intention and no one opposed it anymore, so they hurriedly went down to prepare!

  Upon receiving the order, the artillery squad of the First Battalion of the Independent Guard Brigade immediately set up two Type 92 infantry guns on an open space about over a hundred meters away from the forest, tensely adjusting the sights to aim at those positions.

  Three companies of Japanese infantry deployed as scheduled, spreading out from left to right in three directions, forming a strong attacking formation that almost covered the width of the forest, which was over 100 meters!

  With a swish, the Japanese commander drew out his gleaming command sword and slashed forward and upward, letting out a loud yell, "Advance!"

  Rat-a-tat, the Type 38 rifle was raised, the bayonet on the gun tip pointed forward, three Japanese infantry platoons formed a neat queue, marching in unison, as if they were a wave crashing towards the forest across from them.

  BOOM!

  The Japanese artillery fired first, and with a loud pull of the lanyard, the two Type 92 infantry guns shook violently, spewing out a burst of flame from behind the barrel, while a tongue of flame also shot out of the muzzle, followed by an ear-piercing whistling sound in the sky!

  Two loud explosions, two places in the forest were blown open, tall pine trees slowly fell down with a rumbling sound, smashing other trees crackling and crashing, the ground even shook slightly!

  "Company Commander, look!" A Japanese army sergeant pointed at a human-shaped object blown up in the distance of the forest and shouted excitedly.

  "Haha, as expected, those Chinese people have an ambush there!" Kogawara Uji also smiled, seemingly delighted that his guess had been correct.

  "Bang! Bang! Bang!"

  It seems that they knew they had been exposed, and the sound of chaotic gunfire came from the woods, then retreated deep into the woods, probably knowing that the ambush had failed and planning to withdraw.

  "Charge, don't let the Chinese escape!" The Japanese commander almost simultaneously gave orders and then urged the soldiers to advance quickly, pursuing those who were retreating.

  Under the urging of the Japanese commander, the Japanese soldiers rushed into the woods like a tide, and in the blink of an eye they charged into the woods.

  Kogorō Higashiyama sat on his Toyo horse, watching his troops charge forward, feeling delighted by their bravery, but somehow a faint sense of unease lingered in his heart.

  "Where did I misjudge?" Kogawara Uji, directing his infantry to advance while thinking anxiously about where he went wrong.

  …………