Chapter 56: The Cannon War of the Bloody Lonely City

  At around 10:00 on September 23, the two routes of Japanese troops successfully converged outside Xinghe City, and the mighty army of nearly 20,000 people surrounded the originally small Xinghe County town.

  However, the Japanese army did not rush to launch an attack, but instead set up a military camp outside the city, with troops frequently moving around, looking like they were about to make a big move.

  Temporary Headquarters of the Japanese Army.

  Abetsu Kisshū excitedly looked at the map spread out on the round conference table and said to Okabayashi Tadakazu, who was standing beside him: "Okabayashi, I just received news that confirms that despicable Chinese is still in the city and hasn't escaped."

  "Yoshi, you foolish Chinese, I will use the caterpillar tracks of my tank to make that fool understand that the military power of Great Imperial Japan is sacred and inviolable." Colonel Okada shouted.

  "Ogawa, your tank battalion is the only one in our army corps. It's time to let these Chinese people witness the power of the great Japanese Imperial Army's iron lion." Abe Kiyohide said loudly.

  "Ahai, Commander, when are we going to launch the attack?" Major General Okada shouted.

  "General Gong, don't be impatient. The Japanese troops in the city are already like fish in a barrel, their destruction is only a matter of time. However, before we launch an attack on the Japanese troops in the city, we must first eliminate the hidden threats around us."

  "Nani, Commander, you mean to say that there are still Chinese troops nearby?" asked Okada Yukawa in surprise.

  "No, no, no. Within the borders of Xinghe County, there is indeed only one regular Chinese army unit, but here there is also a bandit gang, with an unknown number of people and equipment situation, and we are not clear who their leader is. Before attacking, we must determine that this bandit gang does not pose much threat to our military."

  "Your Excellency, aren't they just a bunch of bandit troops? Even their government army flees at the sight of our imperial military flag. How could this small band of bandits dare to challenge our imperial army?"

  "General, the Chinese are much more stubborn than we imagined. Before the war, Imperial Headquarters predicted that China would be defeated in three months, but as far as I know, Chiang Kai-shek has no intention of surrendering to the Empire of Japan. On the Shanghai front line, the Chinese have mobilized over 700,000 troops and are fighting fiercely against our army. The situation is intense, and General Shimizu has already requested reinforcements from Imperial Headquarters three times. As of September 11th, the Shanghai Expeditionary Army has increased from its original two divisions to five field divisions, two heavy artillery brigades, and other units, including the Navy's landing force. At this point, the Shanghai Expeditionary Army is approaching 200,000 men. Despite the increasing troop strength, the results are almost negligible. One month into the war, the Shanghai Expeditionary Army is still being held back at the Luodong line. The idea of defeating China in three months may be nothing but empty talk."

  Abe Kiyoshi continued: "Obviously, including the ministers of the General Staff, they underestimated the Chinese, just like we underestimated the Chinese army in North China. The Tianzhen battle was a bitter lesson, with over 10,000 casualties for the Imperial Japanese Army. We cannot underestimate any Chinese armed forces, not even bandit troops."

  "Hai, Commander, I'll send someone to investigate the bandits' situation immediately." Okada Kiyokatsu said loudly.

  "General Okabe, this bandit gang is holed up on the Daqing Mountain, it's not suitable for your armored unit to attack. Let those government troops handle them." Abe Yoshimasa said with a smile.

  "Hi!"

  "Liu Sang, this is Da Qing Mountain. You know that I have received reliable intelligence that a bandit troop is stationed here. My order to you is to immediately dispatch troops to annihilate this bandit force."

  "Hey, don't worry, General Ta. I guarantee the completion of the task." Liu Xu, commander of the First Cavalry Division of the pseudo-Mongolian army, said with a flattering tone.

  At 4:00 pm, after completing the encirclement of the east and west gates of Xinghe County, the Japanese army set up artillery and began to bombard the defensive positions of the garrison outside the city.

  At the same time, the Japanese army outside Tianzhen City also launched an attack on the 61st Army defending the city. The Japanese army in the direction of Tianzhen was not as "gentle" as the one in Xinghe, and it started with air raids, artillery bombardment, and infantry charges. In just one afternoon, the Japanese army organized six attacks, putting tremendous pressure on the 399th Regiment of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army defending the city.

  Seeing that the time was almost ripe, Chen Feng sent a telegram to Andre's unit that night, ordering the cavalry group to rush to Zhangbei immediately and launch an attack on Zhangbei County at the latest tomorrow afternoon.

  On September 24, Liu Xu sent someone back to report that there was indeed a bandit group on Daqing Mountain, with about three hundred people. This bandit force relied on the terrain to resist stubbornly and refused to surrender to the imperial army.

  The bandits occupied a very dangerous terrain, and their cavalry was not suitable for attacking such a steep terrain, so they requested reinforcements from the command center.

  After reading Liu Xu's report, Abe Osami learned that there were only over 300 bandits on the Daqing Mountain and immediately lost interest in this bandit army. As long as this bandit would not pose a threat to the Imperial Japanese Army, Abe Osami was too lazy to care about it. Not only did he not send reinforcements to Liu Xu, but also ordered the First Cavalry Division of the Puppet Mongolian Army to withdraw immediately. Their main strategic goal this time was the newly formed Independent 222 Brigade of China and that despicable Chinese Chen Feng, rather than those numerous Chinese bandits.

  At more than 10 o'clock in the morning, the Japanese army organized an attack, but was quickly repelled by the defending troops. However, the Japanese army soon reorganized a larger-scale offensive, with not only planes coming to assist, but also artillery and tanks, followed by a full-strength infantry brigade, apparently determined to capture Xinghe County in one fell swoop.

  Through the telescope, Chen Feng looked at the Japanese army in neat formation, a vast black mass pressing towards the defending position. At the same time, the sky also transmitted the huge roar of aircraft engines.

  Look, when the time is almost up, Chen Feng turned to a nearby communications officer and said: "Call the artillery regiment and anti-aircraft troops, order them to prepare for battle. After the devils' artillery fire stops, immediately launch an artillery attack on the devils' artillery positions. The devils' artillery has at most only one battalion. Tell our artillery that they must destroy the devils' artillery, otherwise, it will be difficult to get by in the future."

  Under the cover of artillery fire, more than a dozen Japanese tanks opened the way, followed by a large number of infantrymen. Given the ferocity of the Chinese army's "trench dog" tactics in recent times, Abe Osamu specially assembled over 30 submachine guns from his troops and had these submachine gunners closely follow behind the tanks to strictly prevent those trench dogs.

  But what surprised Abe Kikushi was that even when the tanks had entered within less than 200 meters of the Chinese position, there was still complete silence from the Chinese lines, with no one returning fire.

  "150 meters..."

  "100 meters..."

  When the tank entered the Chinese garrison's position less than 100 meters away, the first tank suddenly made a loud "boom" sound, and then the whole tank was blown upside down, the tracks were broken into several pieces, dangling on the body, while thick black smoke came out of the tank, it was clear that it was completely destroyed.

  Then the several war vehicles walking in front were all destroyed, and it was not until then that the Japanese army discovered that the Chinese troops had laid a large number of landmines in front of their positions, and they entered the minefield.

  The first was just a probing attack, so the Japanese army only dispatched less than one infantry company, and was repelled more than 200 meters away from the defender's position, without even realizing that the defender had laid out a minefield in front of their position.

  In the telescope, Abe no Kiyoshige saw it clearly. In a moment of carelessness, he was ambushed by the Chinese and in just a few minutes, four precious war vehicles were lost and dozens more were injured.

  "Halt! Order the tanks to stop advancing immediately, let the sappers move forward to clear mines, and infantry take cover."

  Wishes are beautiful, but the Japanese engineer troops were hit by Chinese snipers lurking around the battlefield as soon as they appeared, and more than 30 engineers were killed in just one minute, making Abe Kiyoshi furious.

  "Order the troops to withdraw and have the artillery battalion conduct a carpet bombing of the enemy position, destroying the minefield with shells."

  Boom! Boom! Boom! After receiving the order from Abe Kikushō, the Japanese artillery battalion did not dare to slack off and immediately launched a strategic bombardment of the land within 100 meters in front of the defending army's position, attempting to destroy the defender's minefield.

  Xinghe County town, 222 Division Guard Artillery Battalion position.

  "Have you figured out the coordinates of the little devil's artillery position?" a tall and sturdy young man shouted loudly.

  "Ying zuo, I understand. In the direction of 6 o'clock in the south of the city, preliminary judgment should be at Xiao Wadang." A young man with a clear face replied.

  "Little Wa Dang, that's it. The place is not only higher in terrain, but also not far from the county town, making it the most suitable for artillery positions. Huang Hao, order the brothers to immediately launch a surprise attack on Little Wa Dang, no need to adjust the shooting parameters, fire ten rounds quickly and then immediately relocate the position."

  Yes

  ........

  "Boom" "Boom" "Boom"

  The Japanese artillery was stunned by the sudden bombardment, and they had not expected that before the battle, Chen Feng had ordered the artillery to mark all the shooting elements within a radius of five kilometers around the county town. As long as the Japanese artillery opened fire, they could judge where the Japanese artillery position was based on the fall point of the shells.

  Additionally, Chen Feng had the artillery regiment leave 6 mountain guns for the Guards Division's artillery battalion before withdrawing from the city. As soon as they opened fire, they hit Abe Noriyuki in the heart. After the bombardment, an entire artillery battalion of 12 field guns was left with only one still operational, and the remaining eleven were reduced to a pile of smoking scrap metal.

  What's even more heart-wrenching for Abe no Seimei is that this bombardment resulted in a large number of gunners' deaths. Unlike those cheap infantrymen, each and every one of these gunners was an elite nurtured by the Great Japanese Empire over many years. Who would have thought they'd end up like this?