"The cavalry battalion commander reported that our Katyusha rocket launcher killed a large group of Japanese soldiers in just one salvo!"
"Currently, the Japs in the 1st Division show no signs of breaking out!"
About 6 kilometers away from Datong City, the troops around him were marching vigorously, and a telecommunications soldier reported to Kong Jie.
Next to Kong Jie, Ding Wei stood with his hands behind his hands, and the political commissar and chief of staff of the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment also stood aside.
Just now, the Japanese reconnaissance plane flew over. Because the Japanese plane flew a bit high, the distance was a bit far.
In order to rush the large forces to Datong as soon as possible, Kong Jie did not ask the air defense troops to set up their cannons and shoot at the Japanese planes.
"One Katyusha rocket launcher killed a large group of Japs in one salvo?"
Kong Jie's eyes suddenly lit up. This was not the first time the Katyusha rocket launcher fired at the Japanese.
But it was the one with the greatest results.
On the front battlefield of the National Army, if you want to kill a large group of Japanese soldiers, you have to pay at least three to three times the lives of the same National Army soldiers.
Moreover, the ones killed by this round of Katyusha firepower were the elite troops of the Japanese 1st Division.
Ding Wei also slightly raised the corners of his mouth. He knew that the Katyusha rocket launcher was powerful, but he did not expect it to be so powerful.
A rocket launcher salvo will have at least the effect of one or two artillery divisions, and it will take one or two heavy artillery divisions to kill a Japanese brigade in one salvo.
Then a salvo of four Katyusha rocket launchers can produce the effect of an artillery brigade in a short period of time.
At first, 100 new soldiers were exchanged for 4 Katyusha rocket launchers from Lao Li.
There is no loss in blood!
Ding Wei said in a disdainful tone: "Old Kong, it seems that the Japs from the 1st Division were frightened by a round of rocket launchers, and they didn't even dare to run away?"
"The 1st Division has a heavy artillery regiment." Kong Jie analyzed. "The Japs would definitely take this heavy artillery regiment with them if they wanted to escape. But the Japs didn't run away. I guess it was because the Japs were afraid of this heavy artillery regiment.
Our Katyusha rocket launcher exploded."
Ding Wei nodded: "It's not impossible."
Wang Yingcai, political commissar of the Independence Regiment, analyzed: "If the Japanese want to blow up our Katyusha rocket launchers, they can only send fighter jets and bombers to bomb them."
Xu Shansheng, the political commissar of the new second regiment, smiled slightly: "When the Japanese plane arrives, we will no longer rush. By then, our main infantry force has already surrounded Datong."
Kong Jie then shouted loudly: "Give me the order to have all the troops move forward faster and surround Datong within an hour!"
As Kong Jie's order was issued, the speed of the various ministries advancing towards Datong increased a few points.
Neither Kong Jie nor Ding Wei cared much about whether they could block the 1st Division.
It would be best to block the 1st Division in Datong. If not, it doesn't matter.
Because the main force of the New Second Regiment and the Independent Regiment, as well as the heavy firepower of the New First Regiment, went north to attack the 1st Division in Datong, this was originally a cover and a feint attack.
It would be best to destroy and severely damage the Japanese 1st Division, but it doesn't matter if it can't.
Although the current 1st Division is a Category A division, its main force has been wiped out and it cannot make any waves at all.
Take it out alone and fight in the field. Even the new second regiment or the independent regiment cannot defeat it.
About an hour later, the main forces of the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment surrounded Datong.
An hour ago, the Japanese reconnaissance plane conducted a reconnaissance around Datong. They only saw about 20 trucks and no heavy artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army.
Therefore, the North China Front Army Headquarters has not sent fighter jets or bombers for the time being.
In the former enemy headquarters, Kong Jie looked through the artillery mirror towards the south wall of Datong.
The chief of staff of the independent regiment reported the situation to Commander Kong Jie:
"Reporting to the captain, there are no more Japanese outside the city. All the Japanese have returned to the city. There are not many Japanese on the city walls."
The artillery units of the three regiments were already setting up artillery in preparation for the attack.
The infantrymen were taking the time to have breakfast and replenish their strength.
Although after a whole night of forced marching, the soldiers could immediately enter the battle.
But people are like iron rice and steel. Only when they are well fed and drunk can they fight more vigorously.
The deputy commander Ding Wei frowned slightly and said in a deep voice: "Lao Kong, something is wrong!"
"Old Ding, what's wrong?"
Kong Jie was turning the artillery mirror to look at the city wall. When he heard Ding Wei's words, he quickly turned around.
Ding Wei analyzed: "The 1st Division gave up the fortifications outside the city and even the city wall fortifications. It is clear that they want to engage in street fighting with us."
"I know that." Kong Jie narrowed his eyes, "The Japanese are very clever at calculating. They know that they are no match for us in the wild, so they simply hid in the city and did not come out."
If it were in the wild, with the current strength and equipment of Kong Jie's men, the 1st Division could be put into a panic.
It can defeat the 1st Division five to one, or even lower the battle loss ratio.
But if we engage in street fighting, the Eighth Route Army's equipment and firepower advantages cannot be fully utilized.
Moreover, the battle damage ratio was infinitely reduced to one to one, because if the firepower of Datong City could not be covered, and if you wanted to occupy Datong and eliminate the 1st Division, you would have to sacrifice your lives to fill it.
After a pause, Kong Jie said in a helpless tone: "If there weren't Chinese people in the city, labor and management would just use thousands of tons of artillery shells to cover Datong City with artillery fire, and the 1st Division would be nothing."
In terms of logistical supplies, there is Li Yunlong's car battalion, which can pull combat supplies from northwestern Shanxi to Datong at any time.
There is also Boss Chen’s
"That's the problem." Ding Wei said solemnly, "We really can't cover Datong City with artillery fire."
"Old Ding, please estimate." Kong Jie asked in a deep voice: "Even if it is a street fight, how much casualties will we need to pay if we want to kill the 1st Division?"
Ding Wei said: "There must be at least 10,000 casualties. This is still a conservative estimate. After all, street fighting is different from other battles. Street fighting is the most cruel battle."
Kong Jie nodded, this was pretty much what he estimated.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Even the soldiers of the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment, equipped with semi-automatic rifles and submachine guns, were able to fire continuously with the Japanese army in street fighting and had a certain advantage.
But this advantage is not big and cannot be transformed into an overwhelming advantage.
Kong Jie narrowed his eyes: "For us, this is a loss-making business..."
If you can fight with a loss ratio of five to one, and fight with a street fight at a loss of one to one, isn't it a loss-making business?
It was also the first time that Kong Jie commanded so many troops in combat. The main forces of the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment totaled 30,000 people. Together with the air defense troops of the New First Regiment and the artillery force, there were several thousand people, and the total force was nearly 40,000.
.
This kind of battle at the corps level put a lot of pressure on Kong Jie.
However, the books Li Yunlong read were also given to Ding Wei and Kong Jie to read. Now, the tactical command abilities of Kong Jie and Ding Wei are only one level worse than Li Yunlong's.
"This is the second priority." Ding Wei added, "What I'm worried about is that the Japanese North China Front Army will mobilize heavy troops to form a huge encirclement outside Datong, encircling us and eating us up."
"Then let's just play casually with the 1st Division." Kong Jie nodded.
Elephant Zhang is a loss-making business, and the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment may be dumped by the Japanese. It is even more impossible for Kong Jie to fight to the end with the 1st Division.
Seeing that Kong Jie was not going to fight to the end with the 1st Division, Ding Wei was slightly relieved.
After all, the commander of this battle was Kong Jie, and he, Ding Wei, was just the deputy commander and had to obey Kong Jie's orders.
"Reporting to the regimental commander, all artillery positions have been constructed!"
"Should we fire at the city wall of Datong?"
The chief of staff of the independent regiment reported to Kong Jiehui.
At this time, the four artillery battalions of the New Second Regiment and the Independent Regiment, as well as the 10mm heavy artillery battalion and 10mm howitzer battalion of the New Regiment, were already aimed at the four walls of Datong.
The Japanese at Datong Station have withdrawn into the city.
The tank battalion and Katyusha rocket launcher battalion were hidden in the woods a few kilometers away.
The North China Front still has more than 30 fighter jets and bombers, which need to be defended.
However, the six artillery battalions have deployed a considerable amount of anti-aircraft firepower, preparing to deal with Japanese aircraft for air defense.
The new regiment's 88mm anti-aircraft gun battalion, 0mm machine gun battalion and 37mm anti-aircraft gun battalion have all arrived.
Coupled with the anti-aircraft firepower of the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment.
In terms of anti-aircraft firepower, it is satisfactory.
Unless the Japanese use more than 100 bombers and fighter jets to carry out large-scale bombing against the Eighth Route Army's artillery positions.
Otherwise, the remaining 30 or so fighters and bombers would pose little threat to the Eighth Route Army's artillery positions.
"Send my order!" Kong Jie immediately shouted out, "order the artillery immediately to fire on the city wall of Datong. The bombardment lasted half an hour and I blew up the city wall of Datong!"
In order to imitate Li Yunlong's tactical command, Kong Jie had no assist direction, and all four walls were focused on the main attack.
And as soon as they came up, they pulled out all the cannons and blasted them against the city wall, without bothering with the Japanese at all.
The Chief of Staff of the Independent Regiment straightened up: "Yes!"
Later, the chief of staff of the independent regiment took a walkie-talkie and shouted loudly: "Hey, this is the headquarters. All artillery positions are firing at the Datong City Wall. The shelling lasts for half an hour!"
Taking advantage of the artillery test firing, Kong Jie looked at the staff officer and said: "Chief of Staff, please immediately send a telegram to the headquarters of the New 1st Regiment, saying that the 1st Division has been blocked in Datong City and that we are attacking Datong. Please
Commander Li can lead his troops south with confidence."
"Yes!" The chief of staff of the Independent Regiment quickly drafted a telegram based on Kong Jie's dictation.
Kong Jie took it and looked at it. There was nothing wrong with it, so he signed his name.
Subsequently, the chief of staff of the independent regiment handed the telegram to the decoder, who translated it into a code and then handed it to the telegraph operator to send it out in the form of a telegram.
Since the Japanese 1st Division was equipped with a heavy artillery regiment, each artillery unit built artillery positions close to the city wall and aimed their fire directly, and they would definitely be counterattacked by Japanese heavy artillery.
The quality of the artillery of the Japanese heavy artillery regiment is not outstanding.
Therefore, each artillery unit built artillery positions six or seven kilometers away from the city wall and in a hidden position.
Since we were going to shell the city wall, we had to conduct test firings in advance to prevent too many shells from entering the city and injuring the people.
At this time, each artillery unit had completed test firing and calibrated the firing elements.
Artillery units with the size of 6 artillery regiments poured artillery fire on the city wall of Datong.
Boom boom boom…
The Eighth Route Army's artillery shells continued to rise into the sky, crossing beautiful arcs in the sky, and then landed on the city wall.
With the explosion that shook the earth and the mountains, the entire four walls of Datong City were suddenly enveloped in fire and smoke.
Although there are many artillery shells, it can't be wasted casually if it hits a city wall that is not guarded by Japanese soldiers.
Half an hour of blasting is enough.
If there were Japs guarding the city walls, they would have to bombard them for at least a few hours.
…
In Datong City.
Japanese 1st Division Headquarters.
Listening to the dense explosions coming from all directions, the expressions of Mizuo Nakazawa and Yoshio Noguchi suddenly became extremely solemn.
Even the top commander of the 1st Division was like this, not to mention the officers and soldiers below, they were all panicked.
Dust continued to fall on the beams during the vibration, but Mitsuo Nakazawa turned a blind eye. He looked at Yoshio Noguchi and asked: "Noguchi-kun, you have been an artillery soldier before. Can you judge what caliber of artillery the Eighth Route Army used and how large it was."
?”
Noguchi Yoshio listened carefully for a while before speaking.
"Your Excellency, Division Commander, the artillery calibers used by the Eighth Route Army include 7mm mountain cannon, 10mm howitzer and 10mm howitzer."
"I can't tell what model it is, it's at least the size of 6 artillery regiments!"
"Judging from the explosion of the artillery shells, the Eighth Route Army's cannons in each direction of the city wall are similar."
"This means that the Eighth Route Army mainly attacks in all four directions, without assists!"
The expression on Mitsuo Nakazawa's face became increasingly ugly. The Eighth Route Army actually used 6 artillery regiments to attack the 1st Division!
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! There is also the heavy artillery division that fired the artillery in the morning. The reconnaissance plane found no trace of it and we don’t know where it is hidden.
The Eighth Route Army is so rich...
Mitsuo Nakazawa secretly exclaimed that compared with this Eighth Route Army unit, the first-class Japanese 1st Division was just like a beggar.
"It's all the main attack, no assists... Your Excellency, division commander, this is Li Yunlong's usual mad dog tactics!"
After a pause, Yoshio Noguchi, who had studied Li Yunlong's combat style, reported to Mitsuo Nakazawa.
Mitsuo Nakazawa nodded. Fortunately, he did not engage in a positional battle with the Eighth Route Army outside the city and abandoned the city wall fortifications.
Otherwise, just from this wave of artillery fire, the 1st Division would have lost at least a thousand casualties.
At that moment, Mizuo Nakazawa ordered to Noguchi Yoshio: "Noguchi-kun, please immediately draft a telegram, report the matter to the North China Front Army Headquarters, and request General Okamura Neiji to dispatch fighter jets and bombers to transfer the Eighth Route Army's artillery positions to
Blow it up!”
The Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery position in the morning was not discovered by the Japanese reconnaissance planes.
But the Eighth Route Army's artillery position is firing at the city wall. There is no way to hide, and it will definitely be seen.
"Hi!"
Yoshio Noguchi suddenly lowered his head, and then began to draft a telegram.
…
In a forest about 10 kilometers west of the scene in Meng County.
The sun shines through the leaves, bringing some warmth.
However, at this time, the forest was filled with thunderous snoring.
The soldiers of the new regiment arrived at dawn after a night of rapid march and rested here for a day.
And here, it is only about 30 kilometers away from the Zhengtai Railway.
The new regiment only needs to attack and march for another half night to reach the Zhengtai Railway and launch an attack on the Japanese 33rd Division and 37th Division.
Li Yunlong finished breakfast, drank water, and slept with his back against the base of a big tree to replenish his strength and energy.
For someone like him who has experienced the Long March, he can rest anytime and anywhere, and he can also go into battle anytime and anywhere.
Less than ten seconds after he leaned against the big tree, Li Yunlong started snoring.
Zhao Gang smiled slightly when he saw this, so he also planned to sit on a rock and rest for a while.
At this moment, the telegraph operator noticed that the radio signal was flashing, and immediately put on his earphones, and the radio began to sound rhythmically, beep, beep, beep.
Li Yunlong suddenly opened his eyes, startling Huang Erhu and Chen Baoshan who were watching him sleep.
"Damn it, I'm not a beauty, what's so good about sleeping?"
"Go, go, go to bed quickly."
Li Yunlong dismissed Huang Erhu and Chen Baoshan and walked to the telegraph machine.
Zhao Gang, Wang Dehou and Xing Zhiguo also woke up and came over one after another.
Li Yunlong looked at his watch. At this time, someone was sending a telegram to the new group, most likely from Kong Jie.
After a while, the telegraph operator wrote the received code on paper, and the decoder quickly translated it into text, and then handed the telegram to Li Yunlong.
"Haha, Lao Kong and his friends are making good progress there. The Japs from the 1st Division have been surrounded in Datong City."
After reading the telegram, Li Yunlong smiled with a slight smile on his lips.
Although the Japs of the 1st Division were more prepared for the New Regiment, they still underestimated the New Regiment's special forces.
Li Yunlong used the method used to deal with the 3rd Brigade and surrounded the Japanese 1st Division in Datong.
Zhao Gang smiled slightly: "If nothing else happens, Okamura Neji will definitely think that the Eighth Route Army attacking Datong is our new regiment."
"Maybe." Xing Zhiguo also said with a smile, "The Japanese reinforcements from the North China Front are really heading towards Datong."
Wang Dehou also smiled and said: "Who would have thought that the real strategic targets of our Eighth Route Army are the Japanese 33rd Division and the 37th Division?"
"Stop talking nonsense." Li Yunlong looked at Wang Dehou, "Chief of Staff, you immediately draft a telegram to reply to Kong Jie, saying that you will act according to the plan, and prepare another telegram to send to the 19th Division Headquarters to inquire about the arrival of their main force.
Where? The rest of you should take the time to rest."
Wang Dehou: "Yes!"
…
at the same time.
Peking.
Iron Lion Alley, North China Front Army Headquarters.
War Room.
Communications Staff Officer Haruo Kiya held the telegram in his hand, walked quickly towards Okamura Neiji, and immediately reported: "Report to the Division Commander, the 1st Division has an urgent telegram!"
Neji Okamura, Seizo Arisu and Moritake Tanabe are analyzing the battle situation.
"read!"
Hearing Kiya Haruo's voice, Okamura Neji waved his hand and said.
"Hi!" Haruo Kitani read the telegram, "The Eighth Route Army used the artillery firepower of more than 6 artillery regiments to bombard the city wall of Datong. It requested the headquarters to send fighter jets and bombers to destroy the Eighth Route Army artillery positions. The 1st Division
Lieutenant General Nagazawa Mitsuo, His Majesty the Emperor is on board, and the Japanese Locust Army is on board!"