Rise From Eight Hundred

The Japanese artillery fire once again poured fiercely towards the Chinese positions.

At the almost crazy request of Konishi Hayami, even the 150MM heavy artillery began to bombard the left and right wings of Tongguan.

But the Chinese soldiers who received the military order still chose to walk out of the tunnel and shoot at the evacuating Japanese troops with rifles and machine guns.

The Japanese infantry wailed in the hail of bullets and became silent in the equally desperate artillery fire from both their own and the Chinese.

The sound of gunfire on the battlefield lasted from early morning to dusk until the last raft of the Japanese army disappeared on the river.

The second wave of offensive that the Third Division had prepared long ago did not happen after all, because, from the lower private to Fujita Susumu, all the Japanese knew that it was unnecessary.

The Chinese played a tactic of "letting the dog into the pit". Of the more than 4,200 infantrymen who landed in the first batch, less than 600 were able to board the ship and return, and the remaining more than 3,600 people all lay in front of the Chinese positions.

And the left wing position of the Chinese, which was commanded by Colonel Konishi Hayami himself, was even more miserable!

Of the two and a half infantry battalions that were deployed, only 160 people were able to return, and most of the heavy machine guns and all the infantry artillery were lost.

Because the cunning Chinese can easily allow you to carry a 200-kilogram infantry artillery off the ship, but they will not watch you carry the artillery back on the ship.

In order to lift the heavy gun body and walk on the river beach, it is simply a stupid label of "Come and shoot me!" on the forehead. The heavy casualties of each artillery squad are no less than those of the infantry entering the death charge state.

Perhaps the only thing that the Japanese commanders are thankful for is that they don't have to worry too much about the problem of medicine!

There are almost no seriously injured Japanese soldiers who can return to Fenglingdu. Under the fierce firepower of the enemy and our side that has almost indiscriminately attacked each other, losing mobility is equivalent to death.

Therefore, after completely losing the strength of an infantry regiment, the Third Division also lost a serious colonel regiment commander.

Before they even reached the riverbank, the news that Colonel Konishi Hayami had committed seppuku to apologize to the Empire was conveyed to the Third Division Headquarters.

Fujita Susumu rarely flew into a rage, but waved his hand to indicate that he understood, and then he sat alone in the innermost room of the field command headquarters without lights on.

Perhaps only the two brigade commanders with big eyes staring at each other knew what their division commander was going to do.

Fujita Susumu needs to be calm enough!

He needs to use a calm enough mind to persuade his superior Itagaki Shiro to temporarily give up the tactic of storming Tongguan.

Facts have proved that the Chinese on the opposite side not only have fortifications that are strong enough to withstand heavy artillery and heavy bombs, but also have fierce firepower. More importantly, their fighting will is firm, far from being comparable to the Chinese infantry divisions that collapsed at the touch of a button on the southeast battlefield and the North China battlefield.

The reality that two consecutive infantry regiments suffered a devastating disaster and turned a Type A division into a mixed brigade made Fujita Susumu's thoughts go back to nearly a year ago.

If the troops stationed at Jinling Yuhuatai were not a Chinese infantry brigade of less than 4,000 people, but an infantry division of more than 10,000 people, an infantry division with a steady supply of logistics, could his Third Division capture that hill?

The answer is obvious, he can't, just like today.

Given the strength shown by the Chinese today, unless he has the courage to put all the members of the Third Division plus the Fifth Division, an infantry brigade specially transferred by Corps Commander Shiro Itagaki, on, he has no confidence in victory.

But is that possible?

Even if Tongguan is captured, the Third Division will be seriously injured and will not be able to recover for a year or two. What does the glory of conquering China have to do with Fujita Susumu?

It must have hurt when Konishi Hayami stabbed the samurai sword into his belly!

Fujita Susumu, who was sitting alone in the darkness, suddenly felt a little cold all over. This man from a famous family must not want to die, but if he doesn't die, who will take the responsibility for this defeat? This time there is Konishi Hayami, who will take the initiative to apologize and die next time?

The two major generals outside the door? Or the divisional colonel chief of staff who always bowed his head and obeyed orders?

Fujita Susumu lowered his eyelids. Perhaps they were all a little excited in their hearts!

They didn't even think about the position of division commander, but suddenly there were so many more positions, and they didn't know how many of their confidants could be placed.

"To your Excellency, Itagaki, the commander of the corps," Fujita Susumu's voice, which was a bit obscure and old, finally came out from the dark hut.

"Baga! Incompetent! Extremely incompetent!" A bald man holding the telegram from Fujita Susumu was like a manic leopard, pacing back and forth in the command center with his hands behind his back, cursing constantly.

The words of the deputy commander who proposed to leave the North China Front Army and form the Westward Corps a few months ago are still fresh in my mind: "Forming the Westward Corps, General Shanshan Yuan's inability to change the situation on the battlefield in North China is only a secondary reason. The empire's financial resources are already stretched to the limit. In order to force China to surrender as soon as possible, it is imperative to enter Guanzhong and advance to southwest China.

Mr. Itagaki, you are a fierce general of the empire. If you make a difference in this strategy, within a year, the empire may form the Southwest Front Army, and Mr. Itagaki is the best choice."

The commander of the front army, a general, will become one of the top figures in the Imperial Army Ministry. He will no longer be able to decide the fate of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people, but perhaps the fate of a country or a nation.

For a soldier, who can resist such temptation?

But today Fujita Susumu told him that it was impossible to do so, so let's withdraw!

Just tell me, who could bear it?

As long as Itagaki Shiro has a sword that can kill generals, he might just chop off the head of Susumu Fujita who dares to say such a thing with his backhand.

It's a pity that even if he is as cruel as Shiro Itagaki, he still has enough sense to know that not only can he not do anything to Susumu Fujita, he even needs to be appeased and win over.

Standing behind Susumu Fujita is a powerful prince, whose cronies are spread throughout the Imperial Army.

Okamura Koji, who was leaning against his thigh, was now like an engine installed under his butt. In just three years, he had been promoted from the deputy chief of staff of the Kwantung Army to the commander of the Eleventh Army. Even if Wanjialing was defeated so badly, The corpse of the lieutenant general commander of the 106th Division was returned to the Empire at a huge cost, and he was only verbally reprimanded by the base camp. He was already a notable faction in the Imperial Army.

Looking at the casualty figures reported by the Third Division, the manic patient forced himself to calm down and stood in front of the map of Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces for half an hour. Finally, he said in a cold voice: "Instruct the commanders of each division to postpone crossing the river. Attack by force and arrive at our legion headquarters within two days to hold a military meeting!”

. . . . . . . . . .

The Japanese army suspended the attack across the board, and the Third Division was as if its mother had died, as if it were a heir. However, the Chinese side was not too happy.

In order to completely kill the Japanese troops on the river beach, the brigades and regiments sent soldiers into the trenches under artillery fire. They also suffered heavy casualties under the Japanese artillery fire.

According to statistics in the evening alone, the 28th Division suffered more than 900 casualties, and the Sichuan Army's new regiment suffered more than 300 casualties!

And this is not as simple as the Japanese statistics. Those who failed to return by boat can basically be regarded as battle damage. Many seriously injured people do not know whether they can survive the next three days. The list of the dead may be released in a few days. will rise significantly.

For this reason, Deputy Chief of Staff Tang, who issued this military order, was boycotted by several regiment commanders at the post-war summary meeting, believing that it was completely unnecessary to let the soldiers shoot under artillery fire, which ultimately led to excessive casualties.

Brigadier Hu Da stood firmly on Tang Dao's side, angrily scolded several regiment commanders for being short-sighted, and said on the spot that he had strongly initiated the military order. If he wanted to settle accounts afterwards, he should settle his own accounts.

However, Tang Dao did not argue too much. Instead, with a calm expression, he wanted to resign on the spot as the deputy chief of staff of the defense zone at the high-level military meeting that only regiment-level officers could attend.

This time, all the officers of the 28th Division were stunned.

They did this somewhat out of consideration for Xiao Jiujiu!

Everyone knows that the annihilation of more than 3,000 Japanese invaders in this battle can definitely be regarded as a brilliant victory. Not to mention that the entire army suffered casualties of more than a thousand, even three times more would be worthwhile.

The purpose of this is really not to determine Deputy Chief of Staff Tang's command errors, but to slightly weaken his credit.

On the one hand, it's about grabbing battle merit, but on the other hand, it comes from instructions from a higher level. This is the territory of the Tenth War Zone. How about letting someone from the Second War Zone steal the show?

However, for everyone in the 28th Division, they never thought that Deputy Chief of Staff Tang would suddenly give up his job.

How many fools can get to the level of colonel commander? Including Commander Fan and Commander Dong, who allowed their regimental commanders to fire at Deputy Chief of Staff Tang, they all knew that Tang Dao really deserved the most credit in this battle.

Without the tunnel battle he suggested, the morning round of bombings by Japanese fighter planes alone would have caused more casualties than the current number. Moreover, he improvised three strikes on the battlefield, each of which hit the Japanese army's pain points. It was simply It's so perfect that it can be written into a textbook.

Tang Dao suddenly wanted to resign and the whole group was about to leave. How could everyone in the 28th Division not be panicked?

Some people and things only become more precious when they are lost. This is almost the essence of human nature. Although this feeling makes a group of middle-aged uncles who are more than ten years older than Tang Dao feel burning in their faces, but there is nothing It doesn't stop them from thinking of a solution quickly.

It's easy to pick it up and put it down. It's obvious that these old fritters are playing with it.

"Deputy Chief of Staff Tang, please do not be arrogant. This is just an internal meeting in our defense zone. I have announced earlier that the minutes of the meeting will not be kept. We are all a family. As a family, it is inevitable that the horse's spoon will touch the pot." Mr. Dong Slightly embarrassed, he quickly comforted the 'stunned' man in front of him.

"The two officers and colleagues have misunderstood. Tang Dao's move was not motivated by emotion." Tang Dao shook his head slightly.

Then, Tang Dao left his seat and walked directly to the map, with piercing eyes: "After this battle, the Japanese Third Division has suffered more than 5,000 casualties. Even if they still have the intention to attack our Tongguan position again, they still have to It takes ten days to replenish enough troops, and these ten days are enough for the 28th Division to build more and denser tunnels.

The theater headquarters mobilized an independent infantry brigade a few days ago. The strength of the Tongguan Defense Zone has increased to 80,000. As long as it does not make fatal mistakes, the Third Division will not be able to deploy two infantry regiments or even more. There is no way to break through the frontal position of our 28th Division.

This kind of defensive battle is the most test of the determination and will of both the enemy and ourselves. Our army could fight a five-for-one battle that day, let alone this one-for-three or even four-for-four battle. As for the Japanese army, We must not give our army such an opportunity.

Therefore, if nothing unexpected happens, the large-scale anti-landing operations in the Tongguan Defense Zone have basically come to an end, and the Japanese army should focus more on harassing the riverbanks.

If I stay in Tongguan, it won't be of much use. Maybe I will spend more time dragging the two officers or Brigadier Hu to drink with me. With my drinking capacity, I'm afraid."

At this point, Tang Dao's face was already full of smiles.

The six regiment commanders, two brigade commanders, army commanders and division commanders who were qualified to sit at the conference table all blushed.

Tang Jiugang really didn't pretend to be cool. In terms of combat level, there might be some people here who wanted to compete with Tang Tuanzuo, but when it comes to drinking, no one dared to say that they could compete with Tang Tuanzuo.

That was when Tang Dao returned from the other side of the river in victory. The record of blowing up a 280MM heavy artillery turret and four 150MM heavy artillery had been confirmed by spies lurking in Pingbei City. The theater command had promised that after the war, the two lieutenant generals of the army would at least get a first-class Baoding medal. If the one was in a good mood, the Qingtian medal was not impossible. The overjoyed General Fan personally hosted Tang Dao and invited a division commander, two brigade commanders, and six regiment commanders to accompany him. They were all the powerful military commanders of the 28th Division, which was considered a great honor for Tang Dao.

Tang Dao went to the banquet alone. Facing 10 capable officers of the 28th Division, no matter who came to toast, he drank the wine from the cup to the bottom, or more precisely, from the bowl to the bottom. The most famous Xifeng Liquor in Shaanxi Province was like boiled water.

At first, the officers of the 28th Division were a little conservative, always thinking that 10 to 1 was not good. As a result, seeing Tang Dao being so bold, the officers who could drink at least one catty of liquor took turns to challenge him.

Wow, just when the dishes were served, two jars of 10 catties of liquor were drunk. Later, they drank 6 jars of 30 catties in total.

All the officers of the 28th Division, including General Fan, were helped back by the service soldiers. Some of them who could drink less were even carried back on stretchers. They were absolutely wiped out. However, Tang Tuanzuo, who drank at least ten catties of liquor, could still ride a horse by himself.

No matter what happened to Tang Dao afterwards, at least he went back by himself. In this wine battle, Tang Dao won!

And Tang Dao showed the spirit of "If you want to drink, I will accompany you, no matter how much!" ’s excellent drinking style, which made people not even want to try again.

Wine barrels are not enough to describe it, only wine jars fit Tang Tuanzuo’s unique temperament.

So, when Tang Dao used this to ‘threaten’ everyone in the 28th Division, Fan and Dong felt a chill in their backs. If this guy really drinks like this every day, it would be better to let him go. Otherwise, in less than three or five days, I’m afraid Tang Dao will be both the army commander and the regiment commander.

Because everyone in the meeting can be drunk.

“Of course, Tang Dao is in a hurry to return to the Second War Zone, not only because the danger of Tongguan has been resolved, but also because the Japanese army has seen that they have hit a wall on my Yellow River defense line. They may turn their guns and gather heavy troops for a battle in southern Shanxi.” The smile on Tang Dao’s face gradually faded, and he picked up the baton on the table and pointed to Zhongtiao Mountain on the map.

"The Japanese Westward Corps has three divisions stationed on our Yellow River defense line. The Third Division suffered heavy damage, but there are still two divisions that maintain their strength, especially the Fifth Division under its corps commander, Itagaki Shiro, which has a strength of 50,000 and is the best among the Japanese troops invading China.

If they see that the strategy of crossing the Yellow River by force will cause too much loss, they will decide to first eliminate the garrison in Zhongtiao Mountain in southern Shanxi, completely eliminate their worries, and then gather the main force of the Japanese North China Front Army to attack our Yellow River defense line. At that time, you can imagine what the consequences will be."

The faces of the generals of the 28th Division suddenly became extremely ugly after hearing this.

A Japanese Westward Corps has already made the Tenth War Zone panic. If a Japanese North China Front Army is added, not all of them, but only a few divisions with 100,000 people, then the hundreds of thousands of troops and defense lines deployed along the Yellow River will collapse in an instant.

"The Tenth War Zone and the Second War Zone are interdependent and watch each other. If one side is breached, the other side will be finished immediately." Tang Dao spread his hands. "So, I have to hurry back to join the battle and do my best."

"Since Captain Tang has said so much, how can we keep you here?" Commander Fan, who had been silent, sighed slightly.

"When will you and the brothers of the Sichuan Army New Recruit Corps leave? I can arrange a farewell banquet for the brothers. The 28th Division is a little poor, but we still have some wine and meat."

"Then there is no need to trouble the two commanders. We will leave tonight! I have sent a telegram to my Second War Zone Command." Tang Dao shook his head slightly.

"Is it so urgent?" Commander Fan was surprised by Tang Dao's efficiency.

"Yes, to avoid being bombed by Japanese planes during the day, our troops must arrive 30 miles away from the Tongguan battlefield before the sun rises tomorrow. The 28th Division must also be prepared for air defense. The Japanese army will definitely have retaliatory shelling and bombing tomorrow."

"Speed ​​is of the essence in war. Then let's do it. Commander Dong and I will personally see the brothers off. The people in Guanzhong will not forget the kindness of the Sichuan Army's new recruits who rushed to help from thousands of miles away, and our 28th Division will not forget it either. If the brothers were disrespectful before, I apologize to you on their behalf." Commander Fan stood up and said solemnly.

"Sir, you are too kind!" Tang Dao waved his hand quickly. "Please properly arrange for the wounded and dead in our regiment."

"Please rest assured, Commander Tang. After the wounded recover, I will respect their wishes, whether they are willing to stay and fight with my 28th Division or return to your command. Although I cannot guarantee a coffin for each of the sacrificed personnel, I can still wrap them in white cloth and write their names and numbers on the tombstones." Dong Zhao also stood up and promised.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

12 o'clock in the evening!

The snow particles in the sky have turned into snowflakes, falling in large flakes.

More than 4,000 officers and soldiers of the Sichuan Army New Recruit Corps stood upright in the valley, looking at the two lieutenant generals, four major generals and at least eight army colonels in front of them with excitement.

That was a high-ranking officer they had never seen before, standing in front of them in groups.

But what excited them even more was yet to come.

"Thank you, Sichuan Army brothers, for your help from thousands of miles away. All the officers and soldiers of the 28th Division are unable to repay you. Let us salute you here." After Commander Fan finished speaking loudly, he burst into a roar: "28th Division, salute!"

No matter whether they were lieutenant generals, major generals or colonels, they all saluted a group of new recruits.

More than 4,000 new recruits with gunpowder on their faces were collectively stunned.

"Everyone, return the salute!" Tang Dao's voice sounded.

The new recruits hurriedly raised their right hands, but because of extreme shock, they were scattered and not neat at all.

But no one blamed them or laughed at them. This was the honor they deserved for their heroic fighting.

Tang Dao also accepted this favor. In this era, not everyone can put down their airs like this to a group of farmers who have just put down their hoes.

"Let's go!" Lv Sanjiang, who was at the front, roared.

Generals and officers all saluted us. Is this true? Just because we didn't lose face for Sichuan Province in the war with the Japanese.

Whether it was doubt or pride, the soldiers, who were no longer new recruits, held their heads high and walked past a group of senior officials who were watching them.

An unprecedented sense of pride and satisfaction flowed through the body, and even the snowflakes falling on the face and shoulders did not seem so cold.