Either they were bombarding the shabby No. 3 Highland, which had been destroyed by aerial bombs and artillery shells, or they were bombarding all the mountain roads that could support No. 3 Highland.
Not to mention that Tang Dao and other commanders knew that the key breakthrough location of the Japanese army was at Highland 3, which seemed to be the furthest flank. Even the most ordinary soldiers on both sides of the Chinese and Japanese sides also understood.
The fighting on Highlands No. 1 and No. 2 simply stopped. The two sides were in a stalemate with each other three to four hundred meters apart. Only the occasional cold gunshots and screams made people feel that this was also a battlefield of life and death.
However, except for the cold gunmen who ruthlessly killed the enemy, most people subconsciously turned their attention to the smoke rising from No. 3.
That's where the key to victory on the entire battlefield lies.
"Sir, let my company go to support Highland No. 3! If it's too late, it'll be too late." Li Jijin, who had just withdrawn from the mountain forest, had a sweaty face, but it was rare for him to take the initiative to ask for a fight...
"Sir, this is the position of our Avenging Regiment. The whole army of our Avenging Regiment will defend the position to the death. Please allow me to go and support you." The two majors of the Avenging Regiment looked at each other and took a step forward.
Tang Dao stood in the trench of the temporary headquarters halfway up the mountain, holding a telescope and looking at the smoke rising from No. 3 Heights. He turned his back to the people who asked for battle and did not answer for a long time.
A full five minutes passed.
"No!" Tang Dao's cold voice came. "I believe that Captain Wei and Captain Cai will be able to hold on until sunset."
The officers looked sad, but no one dared to speak.
Tang Dao is very easy-going in private, but on the battlefield, he seems to be a different person, resolute and resolute. His military orders mean that he has made a decision and has no regrets.
Tang Dao's back was turned to everyone. Everyone could only see his motionless body like a sculpture, but they could not see his bloodshot eyes.
This may be one of the most difficult choices Tang Dao has made in his life.
Tang Dao knew that after he made the decision not to reinforce, the nearly 100 people still alive on the top of the mountain had little chance.
They will withstand an attack by several times the number of Japanese troops for nearly two hours without any military support.
This is difficult. Even if his old base of reckless Si Xing Camp is on Highland 3, he is not 100% sure.
But Tang Dao knew better that Guozakizong on the opposite side was also using Yangmou, and his artillery group was waiting for his reinforcements to be dispatched.
If Tang Dao's calculation is correct, at this time there are at least four 105 howitzers participating in the battle. In fact, it is not all the heavy artillery that Kunizaki Zheng has at the bottom of the box. He still has at least four 105 howitzers waiting for reinforcements to go to No. 3 Heights.
.
The battlefield is not a chess game. Every choice made by the commander determines the life or death of hundreds or even thousands of people.
Tang Dao could not throw an elite infantry company into artillery fire at will, nor let the lives of Sichuan soldiers be consumed by Japanese artillery shells.
Therefore, he could only bet that Wei Donglai and Cai Yongguan could persist until the sun sets.
However, the survival of the more than one hundred Sichuan soldiers still on the high ground depends on the efforts of the chessmen on the gambling table.
This is undoubtedly an extremely difficult and sad decision for any commander, and Tang Dao is naturally no exception.
Only the outcome of the battlefield can prove whether Tang Dao's decision is right or wrong, but Tang Dao is undoubtedly right in one thing.
"Why, there is no movement from the Chinese?" Kunizaki asked the Army Lieutenant Colonel and Chief of Staff who had just hurried into the temporary headquarters from outside.
"Yes, the forward reconnaissance troops did not send any signals, and no enemy reinforcements were seen on the enemy high ground." The Army Lieutenant Colonel shook his head.
"The Chinese commander is very difficult to deal with!" Kunizaki was stunned with a hint of surprise in his eyes. "What does the intelligence department do? It's been almost two days, and I still haven't figured out who the commander of this Chinese army is. Don't follow me.
What is the 145th Division of the 23rd Group Army? If this division has such combat effectiveness, can Li Shoushan and the others conquer Sihong and Jiepai?"
"Your Excellency, detachment leader, the feedback from the intelligence department is that the Chinese are already in a panic. They probably don't even know what troops are deploying defenses." A wry smile appeared on the face of the Army Lieutenant Colonel.
Kunizaki was obviously a little speechless by this conclusion. He pointed forward and sighed slightly: "In this battle in the southeast, our army encountered such stubborn enemies everywhere, which made me deeply impressed by the Chinese soldiers. However, they
The empire is truly lucky to have such a stupid boss!"
"Your Excellency, the detachment leader, even such a stubborn enemy will turn into smoke and dust under your command! Just like now, Colonel Takeuchi Unzan is already gathering troops, and under the threat of our army's heavy artillery, China does not dare to support
We can't last much longer." The Army Lieutenant Colonel gave me a flattery, neither light nor heavy.
"I believe that the tactical arrangements you made today, detachment leader, are enough to record actual combat cases in the Army University."
Five kilometers behind the high ground, the blue muzzles of four 105 howitzers were raised high. The coordinates had been set long ago, waiting for the military order from ahead.
Those were four of the eight 105 howitzers belonging to the artillery brigade directly under the Kunisaki Detachment. They had never been used since the battle started in the morning.
Four 105mm howitzers fired at full speed for five minutes. The artillery fire was enough to cover an area the size of a football field. Without fortifications, all humans and animals were wiped out.
If the four 105-mm howitzers in total are included in the bombardment, the bombardment from eight 105-mm howitzers in total can kill more than 90% of the unprotected infantry on the mountain road.
Kunisaki ordered Takeuchi Unzan to attack Highland No. 3 with all his strength. The main purpose was to force out the reserves of the Chinese defenders and annihilate them in an open area using the heavy artillery he carried.
Not to mention, in the forest hundreds of meters between the two highlands, Kunizaki also quietly sent an infantry squadron. If a small group of Chinese soldiers took the risk and entered the forest, they would be attacked.
If China does not dare to dispatch during the day, then it will use all its strength to conquer the position and break the closed circle of the triangular defense position.
In other words, if Kunizaki Zheng uses this combination of punches, no matter what the Chinese commander chooses, he will either lose a large number of troops or the position will be captured, and there will be no third way.
The Japanese lieutenant colonel did not brag about the wonderful tactical deployment.
Kunizaki, who had a solemn look on his face, was obviously a little proud of his arrangement. He waved his hands slightly while showing relief on his face: "The Chinese commander is already considered a wise man. So far, he has not dispatched enough troops for our artillery group to hunt and kill.
The enemy's highland troops are even more tenacious. They are actually one of the most tenacious enemy forces since our detachment entered southeastern China. We cannot claim victory until our general's flag is planted on the enemy's high ground."
"Hi!" the Army Lieutenant Colonel quickly put on a learned look.
Obviously, compared to the serious expressions on the faces of the captains at the Chinese headquarters, the Japanese headquarters was much more relaxed.
However, the heaviest thing is the chess pieces thrown into the chess game by the commanders of both sides.
Just after killing another small group of Japanese soldiers who refused to retreat, there was another violent explosion on the top of the mountain. They didn't even bother to recover the bodies of their dead brothers. The soldiers who were still able to move dragged all those who were still breathing and hid back on the mountain.
In the reverse slope tunnel behind.
Without this, Wei Donglai and his soldiers would have been blown to ashes along with the rocks on the top of the mountain by Japanese heavy artillery.
Wei Donglai was injured. A ten centimeter-long gash was opened in his thigh by shrapnel. The entire tendon was severed, and the bloody muscles were turned outwards. The hemostatic powder had long been used up.
In desperation, Wei Donglai sprinkled the ashes of vegetation burned by artillery fire into the wound, and then bandaged it with his torn shirt.
This was nothing, a piece of shrapnel was embedded in his chest, and his breath was already filled with blood foam.
Therefore, before falling into coma, Wei Donglai handed over the frontline trench command to Cai Yongguan.
At this point in the battle, there is no need for any tactics.
The only thing required is courage!
On this point, Wei Donglai fully trusted Cai Yongguan.
