Rise From Eight Hundred

No one expected that the difficulty in Beidou Mountain would last for nearly two and a half months!

The siege that started two days before the Chinese Lunar New Year in 1941 and lasted until early April became not only the longest siege in the history of China's Patriotic War, but also the longest siege since the Japanese Empire launched its war against China hundreds of years ago. The most humiliating battle since the fertile soil continued to harass.

The 231 Infantry Regiment in the encirclement had actually completely lost its combat effectiveness by the end of February. It was not without guns and ammunition. According to statistics from the Chinese who entered the Japanese highlands after the war, the 231 Infantry Regiment still had more than 200,000 rounds of various machine guns in the end. Rifle bullets, and even 150 mountain artillery shells and more than 300 70mm infantry artillery shells, as well as 1,300 intact Type 38 rifles, 35 Type 96 light machine guns and 17 Type 92 heavy machine guns and other standard weapons.

Just looking at the stocks of these weapons, equipment and ammunition, even a fool knows that this can take away the lives of at least thousands of Chinese officers and soldiers.

However, these exquisite firearms developed so far in the development of human civilization have not been able to shoot a single shot until most of the officers and soldiers of the 231st Infantry Regiment have become lonely ghosts in this mountainous area.

 First of all, it is because the Chinese have no intention of attacking at all. They are just constantly reinforcing the defense line. As long as the Japanese army has no intention of attacking and breaking through, they are not even willing to waste a single shot on the Japanese.

By mid-to-late February, the Japanese army had already given up their intention to break through, especially after a trench 4 meters deep and 4 meters wide appeared in front of the Chinese defense line.

Yes, under Tang Dao's personal order, all ministries used the evenings in early February to dig trenches in front of their respective defense lines, which would kill a wild boar if they fell. Until around February 20, they were completely connected into one, with a full circumference. More than 13 kilometers of deep trenches surrounded the remaining soldiers of the 231st Infantry Regiment on the hills that had been completely isolated from the outside world.

If I have to describe it more appropriately, the trenches further away and the heavily armed soldiers are like a high-erected electric grid. Whoever touches it will die. The deep trench is the trench in the zoo that separates the animals from the electric grid to avoid accidents. The beast that knows the current affairs of the world is seeking death.

And the hilltop surrounded by trenches is just Monkey Mountain!

People outside the barbed wire can see the conditions of the monkeys on the "Monkey Mountain", and the monkeys can also see the Chinese people who are paying attention to them silently.

It's just that it's slightly different from the animals and tourists in the future zoo. These observations must be completed quietly and in a safe enough area. Anyone who dares to look at each other blatantly may very well be the last time humans and monkeys meet in this world. Stared.

Of course, this may be regarded as a "wildlife park", because the "monkeys" inside will not receive any food from the viewers. If they want to survive, they have to rely on themselves.

 Fortunately, ‘monkeys’ are omnivorous animals, and their original genetic imprint is engraved with the concept that everything can be eaten.

The mountains in the hinterland of China ushered in the long-lost spring breeze after the first lunar month. The leaves turned green, the flowers bloomed, and the insects emerged from the soil.

As for the various small animals that hibernated, they had been dug out of their burrows by bayonets before and turned into good protein.

This scene appeared on the front pages of several major newspapers in China and the United States.

 There are always some people in this world who are willing to choose to dance on the edge of a knife for their beliefs, such as war reporters.

 China has it, Japan has it, and Westerners have it too.

 Soldiers use guns to defend their ideals and lives, while reporters use lenses to record the cruelty and sadness of war.

"The encirclement is like an unbreakable cage. The Japanese side is like a flock of sheep being driven into the sheepfold. We have completely won the victory. From a humanitarian perspective, we urge the Japanese side to surrender collectively. They have no possibility of reversing the situation of the war." sex."

Shen Bingyun, the Chinese war correspondent who distributed the "Monkey Mountain" picture and wrote such a comment, is another female journalist in China who has risen to fame after Tantai Mingyue.

As a war correspondent who personally experienced the Battle of Jiangxia and the First Battle of Changsha, and personally recorded soldiers jumping out of the trenches with rifles to charge, this third-year Chinese Department student at Jiangxia University, whose idol is Tantai Mingyue, has seen too much. The tragedy.

She has seen the blood of soldiers whose bodies were torn apart by mountain artillery shells. She has also seen the bravery of throwing herself under a tank while carrying an explosive pack to blow up a Japanese tank, only to find a few finger bones. She has also seen the Japanese army break through the position. Finally, all the wounded who were too late to evacuate were placed under the tracks of the tanks and crushed back and forth cruelly.

 She always had a grenade and a small bottle of poison obtained from the chemistry teacher on her body to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Japanese army that day and destroying her body and soul together.

 After seeing too much death, you will no longer be afraid of death. This is the most personal experience that the war brought to this 21-year-old Chinese woman.

But after one and a half months in Beidou Mountain, when this brave female Chinese war reporter used her lens to clearly record everything that happened on the "Monkey Mountain" in the observation hole, the female reporter who was most eager to watch the death of the Japanese soldiers actually invited them surrender.

 Because that kind of cruelty is far beyond the **** battlefield! It has gone beyond the limits of what a mentally tough person would define as cruel.

Since the end of February, the Japanese army has stopped burying corpses. Even when someone dies, the Japanese army does not show sadness or numbness, but excitement.

 Extremely excited!

They looked like they had bayonets hanging from their waists, just like a pack of hyenas finding a bison lying on the grassland.

"Commander Tang, the Japanese have been without food for half a month, why don't they surrender?" Shen Bingyun, who had just finished vomiting in the trench, finally couldn't help asking the man who had just 'beaten' ten scouts back to the headquarters at the training ground behind the mountain. Tang Dao.

"Everyone has their own persistence and principles. Just like you, me and them, the Japanese in Japan may also have the same question: The Chinese can't even make guns, so why don't they surrender?" Tang Dao raised his head, pointed at Xia Dayu and Shi Dakuan who were following him, and replied calmly.

“We still have enough population and a vast territory, what do they have?” Shen Bingyun’s beautiful eyebrows knitted together.

"They have a strong will and a perverted Yamato national philosophy. You know, after bringing back porcelain, silk, tea, etc. from the Tang Dynasty thousands of years ago, the Japanese people who were still wearing linen suddenly discovered that this Is there such a beautiful and rich place in the world? Perhaps from that moment, occupying this land has been quietly engraved in their genes." Tang Dao said.

"How can a robber surrender to his prey? I would never do it."

"What if they surrender to our army? I mean what if!" Shen Bingyun frowned and continued to ask.

“Then I can assure Reporter Shen for them that they won’t.” Tang Dao suddenly smiled.

“Reporter Shen, you still don’t know much about the Japanese nation. Of course, maybe you don’t know me very well either, because I know a little more than you think.”

Under the spring sunshine, Tang Dao, who is over 25 years old, still smiles brightly. He is already handsome in military uniform, but smiling in such a spring, he is even more handsome indescribably. He is the favorite in many women's hearts. The perfect lover.

 However, in this warm smile, the Chinese female reporter only felt a cool air from the soles of her feet to the sky.

She finally understood the real point of what Tang Dao said. Whether the Japanese surrendered or not, since the day they were surrounded, it was no longer up to them, but all to this young army colonel.

  He said that the Japanese did not surrender because of their tenacity, so the Japanese had no choice but not to surrender.

What he wants is not to starve these Japanese soldiers to death in this mountain, but to turn this place into a base that humiliates the Japanese Army. They, Chinese and foreign reporters, are just a group of tool men, surrounded and watched. Like Japanese soldiers.

 The only difference is that these tool people consume words, while those surrounded Japanese consume lives and the humanity that has sunk into darkness.

She even has reason to believe that this scene will be truly recorded in words and photos, and will be released at any time in the future, becoming a wound that the entire Japanese nation will never heal.

"Reporter Shen, you are very smart!" Tang Dao glanced at Shen Bingyun, who was standing still, with the smile still on his face. "But don't forget, you are a Chinese, and you are a Chinese who has seen the great pain of our Chinese nation." He raised his head and looked at the Japanese high ground opposite, his eyes as calm as if he were really looking at a group of monkeys: "If you can If you live to be 100 years old, you will know that they are a bunch of clowns, and the meaning of their existence is to continue to disgust you. Do you think you will fight back? "

Of course Shen Bingyun didn't know that the Japanese troops in the encirclement had actually intended to surrender. As early as a few nights ago, Japanese troops held white flags and walked toward the Chinese position. The Chinese did not shoot them directly, but put them into the trenches. negotiation.

However, the surrender conditions proposed by China were simply unacceptable to the Japanese army.

As the supreme commander of Beidou Mountain, Tang Dao set three conditions: surrender all weapons; the flag of the 231st Infantry Regiment must not be damaged but must be handed over; the then supreme Japanese commander must surrender in front of the surrendered Chinese commander. Kneel down and hand over the command knife.

 The first condition is easy to say. Surrender naturally requires the handing over of weapons and equipment, but either of the last two conditions will nail the Japanese army to the pillar of shame in history.

 Surrender is naturally out of the question. Even if the Japanese eat dirt, they can only carry it with force.

The top brass of the Japanese army did not think of a way out. They even contacted the top brass of the Chinese Military and Administrative Ministry through the German Empire's minister, hoping that China would quietly accept the surrender and that they were willing to pay a sufficient price to redeem these surrendered troops.

 Ten thousand prisoners of war for two thousand, this deal is actually very exciting.

 It’s just that that person’s point of view miraculously remained consistent with Tang Dao’s at this time!

"The Japanese want to end this battlefield in a less embarrassing way, but have they ever thought about it. In Songhu, Jinling, and Central China, if I lose the face of someone, who can help me get it back? Tang Dao, although this person He is unruly, but his mind is much clearer than you idiots. His move is to push the Japanese to a dead end. Regardless of whether it is war or surrender, the Japanese will lose their face to the Pacific Ocean. Come on, I support him!" The man scolded an official from the Military and Political Department who came to report.

  Men are all like this. It’s not that they can’t change their minds, they’re just not attractive enough. However, stingy Japanese people obviously don’t think that the bargaining chip they give is not enough.

　　An infantry division’s equipment and 10,000 prisoners of war could be exchanged for even a nobleman like Fujiwara Sentio back then. Why did the Chinese insist on refusing to let go this time?

Although that person is only at the level of a battalion commander in terms of combat deployment, when it comes to sleight of hand, looking at the whole of China, there are only two or three people who can compare with him.

He had long seen through Tang Dao's purpose. Tang Dao wanted to put this shame on the foreheads of the Japanese and let them bear it all the time. Even if they won the final victory, the Japanese troops in the encirclement would be regarded by the world's audiences as The shadow of the monkey watch also lingers.

With this attitude, Tang Dao is resolute in implementing the cage tactics, and welcomes Chinese and foreign reporters to visit and take photos.

 The headlines one after another are like rubbing salt into a wound, irritating Isamu Yokoyama and several senior generals at the China Expeditionary Force Headquarters until their eyes turn blue.

The China Expeditionary Forces Headquarters even plans to urgently mobilize the 13th Army to approach Jianghan. Together with the 11th Army, the two armies govern 7 divisions and 6 independent brigades, with a total strength of 210,000.

 But China could have been on guard against the Japanese for a long time, and the more than 400,000 troops in the third, fifth, and ninth theaters had also made corresponding adjustments.

At worst, there will be another large-scale battle. Although China, which has experienced no less than ten battles, has lost almost all of them and suffered huge losses. It has not yet been able to defend its territory and has been scolded **** by the people. But one thing has to be admitted. The entire war As Mr. Baili said, China is entering a state of protracted war.

Not to mention occupying the whole of China, even if it connects the north and south of China, it will take the Japanese at least two or three years. But now with the military aid from the United States, China has more confidence to fight the Japanese army.

Even Chinese senior officials who are keenly aware of the shift in Japan's strategic focus have realized a very important issue. Japan is risking a break with the old Western empires, perhaps not because of its association with Mustache, but because of the steel industry. , oil embargo, Japan's domestic strategic materials for war are already insufficient.

 Large-scale battles will undoubtedly continue to increase this consumption!

 As for China, the 500,000-strong army has been defeated, and another 500,000 will be recruited! If the weapons are gone, just buy them, if you don’t have the money, just take a loan.

 It’s still the old saying: Those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes! China is like this anyway, fight if you like!

I can only say that people who can sit in those positions are not always full of shit. After all, they still have something.

 Once the attitude is firm, the Japanese become timid!

 It was against this background that Yamada Masakichi and his 231st Infantry Regiment became a rare unit in the history of World War II that was besieged for a full 73 days on a battlefield of less than 0.5 square kilometers.

In fact, there are many besieged cities in the history of World War II. For example, the Battle of Stalingrad broke out in July 1942. The Germans besieged this city for eight months. It was also the bloodiest battle in modern history. The casualties on both sides were estimated to be about 200. More than 10,000 people died, and more than 600,000 residents in the city died. Only a few thousand residents survived after the victory.

 Another example is the even more brutal defense of Leningrad, known as the most brutal siege in the history of human wars. It lasted for more than 900 days and 640,000 civilians starved to death.

However, during these two sieges, supplies were actually sent to the besieged soldiers and civilians. During the eight months of the siege of Stalingrad, the Mao Bears transported 300,000 wagons of military equipment to the Stalingrad area.

However, the factories in Stalingrad continued to produce. For example, the factories in Kirov District only retained 10 to 15% of their workers at most, but they produced 5,000 tons of food and 100 tons of food for the front line. Mustard oil, 67 tons of soap, 12,000 bottles of mixed fuel, 5,000 military stoves, 1,300 landmines, etc.

Since February 10th, the 231st Infantry Regiment has not received even a piece of biscuit.

 Their food sources can only be new wild vegetables and tree bark, as well as those fresh remains!

By the time the Chinese troops landed on the Japanese positions on April 5th, the Qingming Festival, there were almost no survivors, and the Japanese soldiers who were still lying in the trenches with their breaths in their throats did nothing except widen their eyes.

 They no longer have the strength to pick up the gun!

 When the remaining six prisoners of war were weighed after the war, their average weight was only a terrifying 57.5 kilograms. To say they were skin and bones would be an exaggeration. It should be said that they were almost skeletons.

 The artificially created breathing skeleton!

 Its commander, Yamada Masakichi, committed suicide in despair as early as mid-March, and there is no body for identification.

In the eyes of a group of 'monkeys' who are about to starve to death and have long since turned into beasts, everything they can eat is food!

The big stick bones with teeth marks all over the trenches made Cai Yongguan, who had been on the battlefield for a long time and even chopped down 7 Japanese soldiers, unable to hold back and vomited on the spot.

"It's my fault. As soon as I set foot on that land, I felt that there was a sinister wind. Now that I think about it, it must be because there are too many unjust ghosts." When Cai Yongguan thought of that hellish scene, his face couldn't help but growl. white.

“Reporter Shen, take pictures of everything. I don’t care how much you wash, just remember to give me the negatives.” Tang Dao always had a gentle smile on his face.

Shen Bingyun wanted to stay away from this gentle and handsome guy. It was he who created this miserable hell.

 Fortunately, he is Chinese!

Perhaps this is the greatest joy for the female reporter who once again experienced what cruelty is when she recorded all this on the battlefield.

 At night, the siege of Beidou Mountain came to an end! (End of chapter)