According to Onodera Yuzo's arrangement, the Japanese army deployed nearly 300 Japanese troops and more than 400 puppet military guards along both sides of Central Street in the middle and south of Handan City.
Among them, there were sixteen light machine guns and nine heavy machine guns, and boxes of bullets were piled in private houses.
In addition to the necessary communications personnel, firearms were distributed to all non-combatant personnel at the division and regiment headquarters. Four artillerymen were assigned to each gun in the rapid-fire artillery squadron, and the rest were mixed into the infantry team.
Outside Beicheng.
Zhou Weihan watched a group of soldiers pouring into the city from various gaps, with a smile on his face: "Okay, less than ten minutes after the bombardment ended, the commando team occupied the north gate!"
"Old Zhou, the defensive force deployed by the Japs on the city wall fortifications seems to be a bit weak, and there is no effective blocking at all!" Zhao Gang raised a question at this time.
Zhou Weihan pursed his lips, not knowing what he was thinking, and then said: "Although the Second Regiment has not yet invaded the city, once the attack inside the city was completed, the enemy's reinforcements on the city wall were completely cut off, and the First Regiment could move along the city wall.
If we advance quickly, the three walls will fall soon!"
"Then it's time for real hand-to-hand combat. My method of fighting house to house is correct. No matter what plot the kid has, just grind it out slowly. The kid won't be able to turn over!"
While the two were talking, the monk who was assigned to observe the situation on the city wall came over to report.
"Report, three red flags are on the city wall!"
"Order the artillery battalion immediately and extend the artillery 500 meters!" Zhou Weihan said.
"yes!"
This is the contact method determined before attacking the city. The Eighth Route Army did not have walkie-talkies, so sending people back and forth to convey orders was a waste of time. A red flag is 500 meters away.
According to intelligence from the strongholds planted in the city, there were no ordinary people living in Handan City, so Zhou Weihan let the artillery battalion free its hands and feet to cover the assault of the commandos.
After receiving the order, the artillery battalion launched two rounds of shelling into the city. One artillery shell landed in front of a civilian house deployed by the Japanese army. A heavy machine gun and the Japanese soldiers deployed inside were immediately buried alive.
"Brigade commander, it's Type 38 field artillery!" Onodera Yuzo immediately realized that these were six 75-caliber field artillery from the field artillery squadron that lost contact yesterday.
"Baga!" He held on to the wooden handrail on the fourth floor of Tamimidi. The constant bombardment made the two-story building where he was located feel trembling.
On the fourth floor of Tammidi, he thought in his mind that the Eighth Route Army should advance quickly, but when the smoke cleared, the next scene made him dumbfounded. Things did not develop as he thought.
The Eighth Route Army attacking the city had already sent troops to the houses on both sides of Central Street at some unknown time and was advancing along the roofs of the houses.
Onodera Yuzo was shocked: "Quick, order the soldiers in the private houses to attack immediately. When they are blocked in the private houses, it will be like beating the dog with the door closed!"
The flag soldiers upstairs quickly sent out a signal. The Japanese troops deployed on both sides of Central Street were at a loss when they received the order. The infantry was okay, but the heavy machine guns and rapid-fire artillery deployed had no time to move.
However, the little devil still followed the order, first drove the puppet army guard out of the house, and then followed the guard himself.
Dong Jiang, who was squatting on the roof, suddenly found that there were many Japanese and puppet troops on the north and south sides of his position.
As soon as they showed up, at such a close distance, no one on the two sides was polite, and before Dong Jiang could gain fame and fortune, they immediately started fighting.
After all, the commandos had the height advantage, coupled with the automatic weapons on hand.
The Japanese army was lucky. When they came out of civilian houses, the soldiers intentionally distanced themselves from each other. But the puppet army guards who were driven out were in a miserable situation. They were crowded together.
A single grenade can wipe out a whole group of people. Dong Jiang's flower trap was not aimed at the opportunity, and three to five people were hit by a single bullet.
"Company commander, there is a group of Japs ahead carrying heavy machine guns and trying to run away!" Yang Tiansheng said from another rooftop.
Dong Jiang followed the direction pointed by Yang Tiansheng and saw a group of more than forty Japs, taking advantage of the fighting between the two sides, to withdraw southward with heavy machine guns.
"Bring me someone to serve it!"
"yes!"
Yang Tiansheng couldn't worry too much at this time. He led the people along the ladder to the east across several houses, and then jumped from the roof to a small alley.
He walked along the root of the wall to the corner, stuck his head out to investigate the situation on the street, and then waved more than thirty soldiers from the commando team and jumped out of the alley.
"Group of three, advance alternately!" Yang Tiansheng ordered.
The alternate advance was to avoid being caught by Japanese firepower during the march. However, all the Japanese firepower was attracted near the Central Street, and they did not notice a small Eighth Route Army unit infiltrating toward the south of the city.
Yang Tiansheng led his men to quickly pass through more than 500 soldiers to the south of the city, and then went west into a small alley, intending to take a detour through Central Street and intercept the retreating Japanese heavy machine guns.
After walking more than half way along the alley, there was a burst of chaotic footsteps.
Yang Tiansheng's heart twitched involuntarily, and his face was filled with joy.
"Charge!" More than thirty commandos rushed out at once.
The little Japanese who were retreating were startled, and then dense bullets came towards them. Even before the heavy machine guns had time to put them on the ground, they were shot and fell to the ground.
The commandos then shot the remaining little Japs one by one.
"Deputy company commander, what should I do with the heavy machine gun?" asked a commando soldier.
"Otherwise, if we don't place them on the streets, if the little devils are repelled, they will be caught off guard!" Another soldier said excitedly.
"No, my little friend, the tanks and armored vehicles have not been dispatched. They are deployed on the streets. There are no fortifications. Aren't the good heavy machine guns a living target?" Yang Tiansheng shook his head and objected.
The spacious Central Street is nearly ten meters wide according to visual inspection, and two Japanese tanks walking side by side would be comfortable.
Yang Tiansheng then looked around and spotted the three-story brick and stone building on the west side of Central Street at a glance.
"Just go to the third floor of the three-story building. That should be the commanding heights of the entire journey. If you occupy that place, even if you can't kill the little Japs, you can still protect yourself!"
At the same time, in the three-story building where the fourth floor of Tamami was located.
"Report to the brigade commander, the Eighth Route Army in the north is advancing rapidly along the city wall fortifications. The city wall fortifications on the east and west sides have been lost, and the south side is also in danger!" Cao Hui, a Japanese soldier with a bandage on his head, reported.
After hearing this, the fourth floor of Tomomichi unexpectedly did not get angry. Instead, he said gently: "Warrior, the time has come when I need you to be loyal to the emperor. Go!"
"Hi!" the Japanese sergeant bowed his head in response, turned around, went downstairs, and ran towards Central Street where the gunfire was the loudest.
"Ono-kun, could you please go to the brigade headquarters to send a farewell telegram, destroy the confidential documents, and order the guards of the arsenal to destroy the weapons supplies there, leaving a bullet for the Eighth Route Army!"
"The only thing we can do now is to prevent the Eighth Route Army from benefiting too much from this battle!" said the fourth floor of Tammidi with no sadness or joy on his face.
"Your Excellency, Brigade Commander, where are you?" Onodera Yuzo asked.
On the fourth floor of Tomomidi, he pulled out the general's sword from his waist and said immediately: "As a senior general of the Japanese Imperial Army, I will fight to the death on the front line, and I will repay the emperor with my broken jade!"
