At dawn the next day, the roar of artillery woke Lu Chen up. At dawn, thick smoke billowed from Tongcao in the southwest, and the attack on the American troops in Tongcao began.
Lieutenant Colonel Walker, deputy commander of the 6th Infantry Regiment of the 13th Division of the U.S. Army, participated in the Normandy landings, and won the Silver Star Cross of the U.S. Army. He is a heroic figure, the highest commander of the U.S. Army in Copper Grass, and the 13th U.S. Army.
Since the division occupied Pyongyang, it has advanced by leaps and bounds, all the way unimpeded. However, in recent days, it has been blocked by the Chinese army at the Songheli line, and its progress has been slow.
Tongcaoli is located at a choke point and is the logistics supply base of the Thirteenth Division of the US Army. The troops and horses have to go ahead with food and grass before moving. The US military attaches great importance to logistics and supplies, so it sent a famous general to guard it. Lieutenant Colonel Walker asked his superiors to arrange for him to be stationed in Tongcao.
Lee was not satisfied. Lieutenant Colonel Walker believed that his strength lay in offense, and it would be best to display his talents through a brutal offensive like the Normandy landings.
"Lane, you have been to China before. Do you know the Chinese Army? How effective is their combat capability?" Walker asked Major Lane, his staff officer. Two years ago, Major Lane, as a U.S. Marine stationed in China, served in places such as Shanghai, China.
I am stationed and have some understanding of the Chinese Army.
Major Lane replied, "Sir, the Chinese Army that I know is different from the Chinese Army that is at war with us now. They are a brand new force, extremely united, and extremely tenacious. Of course, these Chinese Army's weapons and equipment are backward, and they are not as good as our American army."
They are not on the same level at all, and we should be confident that we can beat them."
Major Lane knew his commander well. He was a successful young man, brave in combat, and full of arrogance. He also won the Army Silver Star Cross. He did not tell the truth. In fact, Lane believed that the Chinese army was flexible in tactics and often unexpected. Perhaps it was the worst military force the U.S. military had ever encountered.
A powerful opponent, a bloody battle is just around the corner.
"Boom, boom -" At around four o'clock in the morning, the sound of artillery sounded. Major Lane reported to Lieutenant Colonel Walker, "Lieutenant Colonel Walker, the Chinese army is attacking Tongcaoli from the west and the north. I don't know what the purpose is.
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Lieutenant Colonel Walker's command post is an abandoned factory, a reinforced concrete building, ten meters high. There are spiral steel stairs in the factory. Lieutenant Colonel Walker waved his hand, "Ryan, go to the top of the building and take a look."
The two walked along the spiral steel staircase to the roof of the factory building. The roof was flat and spacious, with some rubber tires piled up. Walker raised his binoculars to observe the battlefield in the distance, "Click-click, click-click-" the gun
Intense sound.
Walker issued an order, "Lane, the Chinese artillery position is in the northwest. Order the artillery to bombard the Chinese artillery position and completely destroy the Chinese artillery position. Furthermore, immediately ask the headquarters for action instructions. Is our mission to defend or to
retreat."
The U.S. artillery in Copper Grass had four American 105 howitzers, which was the size of an artillery battery. After receiving Walker's order, Captain Martinson immediately organized the artillery to fight back.
"Concrete, concrete -" The four American 105 howitzers opened fire, and the Chinese Army artillery position two kilometers to the northwest immediately turned into a sea of fire, and smoke rose. Walker looked at the smoke rising in the distance with satisfaction.
Full of pride, Walker thought to himself - the Chinese dared to attack our Sixth Infantry Regiment, which has always been the vanguard of land warfare.
The Ninth Company, which was lying in ambush on the hillside northeast of Tongcaoli, had long been prepared for battle, waiting for the moment when the U.S. Army broke out. The roar of artillery and the intensive gunfire continued from four o'clock in the morning to eleven o'clock in the afternoon.
The battle was in a stalemate, and the U.S. troops in Copper Grass showed no signs of retreating and breaking through.
Lu Chen was high up on the hillside in the early morning, holding up his binoculars to observe the battle to the north of Tongcaoli. His heart felt a little heavy. The U.S. military in Tongcaoli had strong firepower and was extremely tenacious. It was hard to say whether they could capture Tongcaoli today. Company Headquarters
The correspondent came up and saw Lu Chen on the hillside. He said excitedly, "Lu Chen, you are here, making it easier for me to find you. The company commander has informed you of a meeting."
There must be urgent tasks for the meeting at this time, Lu Chen thought to himself, and arrived at the meeting place, under an elm tree more than 20 meters high. Liu Santang and Chen Jiushan had already arrived. Lu Chen sat on the ground and listened to the company commander Feng Ren assigning tasks.
Feng Ren looked at everyone with a serious expression, "Everyone, the situation has changed. The other brother companies have been attacking Tongcaoli for seven hours, but they have not taken Tongcaoli yet, and the US military has no signs of breaking out. The regiment leader ordered that our ninth company
Change the mission, turn the ambush into an attack, be responsible for attacking Tongcaoli from the east, and strive to capture Tongcaoli at dusk. Let's talk about our attack strategy."
Jin Gui patted his thigh and said, "Look, what did I say? Without us, the Ninth Company, they wouldn't be able to take Tongcaoli."
Cheng Min said seriously, "Second Platoon Commander, this American force is very tenacious and has a lot of firepower. The regiment leader asked us to take Tongcaoli at 10:00pm. We must take it seriously and not underestimate the enemy."
Lu Chen expressed his opinion, "The U.S. military has always attached great importance to attacking fortresses. Now that it is in a defensive position, it must have some weaknesses. The enemy's artillery fire is fierce. We still have to prevent the enemy's artillery fire. Only by sticking close to the U.S. military and preventing the U.S. military artillery fire from taking effect can I
Take the copper grass."
Chen Jiushan added Lu Chen's opinion, "Company commander, instructor, it is about three kilometers from our place to the east gate of Tongcaoli. It is an open area with no obstruction. We must quickly pass through this open area and hide ourselves."
Approach the east gate of Tongcaoli and launch an attack. Lu Chen is good at shooting, so I ask Lu Chen to follow our platoon and snipe at important targets."
Feng Ren approved Chen Jiushan's battle plan and issued the order, "The first platoon is on the left and the second platoon is on the right. Lu Chen will move with the first platoon and quickly pass through the open area and take action in five minutes."
From the hidden hillside of Jiulian Company to the east gate of Tongcaoli is a wheat field. In early winter, the grass and trees are withered, and the wheat field is basically an open land. Fortunately, the attention of the US military in Tongcaoli is on the west and north, and they are negligent.
The warning to the east was cleared and the Ninth Company was given a chance.
Chen Jiushan led a row of soldiers and rushed forward along the wheat field. One hundred meters away from the east gate of Tongcaoli, the US soldiers on alert discovered that the US military had built a ring fortification at the east gate of Tongcaoli.
The stone wall is more than fifty meters long and one meter high, with sandbags piled on it. Two American M2 Browning heavy machine guns are firing at full fire, "ta da, da da -"
Second Lieutenant Brace, the platoon leader of the 6th Infantry Regiment, was responsible for guarding the east gate of Tongcaoli. He was negligent and thought that there would be no Chinese attack from the northeast. When he discovered the Chinese army, the distance was less than 100 meters. The distance was too close and the artillery fire was lost.
Second Lieutenant Brace's infantry platoon, consisting of twenty-four people, two American M2 Browning heavy machine guns, and two Browning light machine guns, formed a tight fire net.
The soldiers in the front row were charged, and the soldiers in the second row were immediately suppressed in the wheat field. The wheat fields had raised ridges, which were used as temporary defenses. The dense bullets hit the ridges, causing bursts of smoke.