In response to Cao Hui's suggestion, He Fanghen raised his telescope and looked in the direction of Jiangnan, then shook his head and said: "This building cannot be blown up yet. We now have air superiority and bombers. If the superiors want to blow up this building,
The bridge had already been blown up by aviation. With such an obvious target here, it would be no problem for aviation alone to destroy them."
"But Lao Cao, look at the entire bridge and its surroundings, there are no traces of being bombed. Even if our aviation bombing skills are not up to par, we can't miss a single bomb. Even if the little devils are deployed on both sides of the bridge,
There are a few anti-aircraft guns, but even their few anti-aircraft guns cannot protect the entire bridge so tightly. Not a single bomb has been hit. I think the bridge where the headquarters is now has not been completely destroyed.
It should be used when preparing to go south."
"Once the bridge is blown up, the Japanese counterattack will have no choice but to cross the river by force, but it will be difficult for us to cross the river. Especially now that the Songhua River is in flood season, and all the ferries on the river are not detained by the Japanese and puppet troops.
When we arrived in the south of the Yangtze River, it was a plain again with not many trees. After blowing up the bridge, it would be equally difficult for our army to go south, especially in terms of logistics."
"But Lao Cao, what you said makes sense. Without this railway bridge, according to the current water situation of the Songhua River, it will be greatly difficult for the Japanese army to counterattack Tao Laizhao. In this way, we will not blow up the bridge first, but we will have to do it
It’s good to be prepared to blow up the bridge if necessary.”
"Send a company to demolish one-third of the upper rails on the bridge deck and lay mines on the remaining rails. Without the rails, the threat to us from the Japanese armored trains will be greatly reduced. At the same time, the two bridge piers in the middle
Explosives are placed below to prepare for blowing up the bridge as a last resort."
After saying that, He Fangren leaned down and clicked on the map and said: "Old Cao, my idea is to use the Wujiatun line in the south of the Yangtze River as a forward warning position, and put up a reinforced 12mm caliber machine gun, a recoilless rifle, and a 60-mm cannon.
One company and one company serve as the most advanced position of the entire army."
"Although the Wujiatun line is flat and there is no danger to defend, it is the only way for the Japanese army to cross the bridge. As long as the Wujiatun line is held, it will not be that easy for the Japanese army to use the railway bridge to quickly recapture the Taolaizhao line. Although there is
It is easy to attack but difficult to attack. Our army's rocket launcher group and wild mountain artillery group deployed in Jiangbei can provide fire support at any time."
"Take the two prominent points of Qiandaqingshan and Majiatun on Tao Laizhao's east and west wings as the key defensive areas on the left and right flanks. Shirengou and Xu's shack are used as second-line positions. The main force of our regiment is deployed at these two points with Tao Laizhao.
Build fortifications between Laizhao and Zhao as the main position."
"At the same time, a warning position was set up along the line from Hejiatun to Taipingling. A battalion and a 82nd mortar company were placed to block the Japanese troops in Yushu and at the same time ensure the safety of our left wing. In front of Xinlitun on the right wing, Yaoba
Place a reinforced platoon on each of the two key points in Chagou."
"Currently, our army has an absolute advantage on the battlefield in Fuyu. The main forces deployed by the 28th Division in Qianguo and Fuyu are already too busy to take care of themselves. I'm afraid they don't have the energy to worry about the Tao Laizhao front line. Our focus now should be on Jiangnan.
Dehui and the Japanese troops in Yushu on the left wing."
"But as for Yushu, the main force of our division is encircling and annihilating the 26th Regiment of the 7th Division. The 26th Regiment, which is currently unable to protect itself, may have the intention but not the strength to recapture Tao Laizhao. So.
We will focus our defense on the Japanese troops in Dehui, Jiangnan."
Regarding He Fangnen's deployment plan, Cao Hui shook his head and said: "Lao He, you are a military commander. How to deploy defense is your business. According to regulations, I should not interfere. But I have no objection to other deployments.
Are you thinking about it at Wujiatun?"
"Wujiatun is isolated in the south of the Yangtze River. There are neither our other troops nor our tactical support points around it. What role can we put a company there? Even if there is artillery support from deep in the north of the Yangtze River, this company
The hysteresis effect it can have in Jiangnan is also quite limited."
"Lao He, we have artillery, and the Japanese also have it. And the Japanese not only have mountain artillery, but also large-caliber howitzers. Judging from the artillery currently strengthened by the headquarters and assigned to us and our division, most of them are 75-mm mountain artillery.
Cannons and 120mm heavy mortars are still somewhat disadvantaged in terms of range compared with the Japanese heavy artillery. Even the 107 rocket launcher has intensive firepower, but its range is only more than 8,000 meters. Compared with the Japanese heavy artillery
Confrontation will still lead to some disadvantages."
"The only connection between them and the main force in the south of the Yangtze River is the Songhua River Railway Bridge. Once the Japanese army blocks the Songhua River Bridge with long-range artillery fire, it will be easy to cut off the connection between Wujiatun and the south of the Yangtze River, and our company will be alone. It's the worst time.
, this company not only became the meat we sent to the Japanese army, but also dispersed our own troops, which were not sufficient in the first place."
"My suggestion is to blow up the bridge and retract the entire army back to Taolaizhao for frontline defense. Lao He, we now seem to be a strengthened regiment, but the defense area we are responsible for stretches from Hejiatun in the east to Lijiatuozi in the west.
It is nearly ten kilometers long from east to west and wide. Although the Taolaizhao Railway Bridge is a must-pass for the Japanese army going north, the Japanese army does not necessarily have to capture this railway bridge to go north."
"As a modern army, the Japanese army also has other equipment for crossing the river. Our defense front is nearly ten kilometers wide. If the Japanese army gives up the fight for the railway bridge and turns to forcible crossing, our military strength is likely to be stretched. At present, Songhua
Although the water in the river is large, it is not impossible to cross it by force."
"We believe that the Japanese army can only seize the railway bridge as a passage to the north, which is probably our wishful thinking. Moreover, the enemies we have to face are not only the Japanese army in Dehui in the south of the Yangtze River. There are also Yushu to the east and Yushu to the southwest.
The Japanese troops in Nong'an are all targets of our defense."
"We even have to guard against the main force of the 28th Division in Fuyu. Under the siege from three sides by the main force of our army, the troops may be withdrawn if they cannot support it. And the main force is now eager to encircle and annihilate Fuyu. The 28th Division in Qianguo
With the main force in the situation, it will be difficult to mobilize troops to support us."
"In fact, we have become an isolated force now. Apart from ammunition and supplies, other assistance we can get is very limited. Although the column promised to transfer us a 122 rocket launcher company and a tank company, as well as a 90-type field
Artillery battery, but it is still unknown when these troops will arrive in Taolaizhao."
"Therefore, Lao He, we must be as cautious as possible when deploying, and you, the regimental commander, must keep as much of the reserve team as possible. Lao He, under the current situation where we are surrounded by enemies on three sides, we must deploy a complete infantry company.
You Lao He should carefully consider whether it is appropriate to leave it alone in Jiangnan."
Having said this, Cao Hui looked at the Songhua River in front of him, which was much wider because it was in the flood season. He pondered for a moment and then said: "In this case, Lao He, let's not quarrel here. You send a message to the column.
A telegram asking for instructions on whether the bridge needs to be blown up. If the column does not agree to blow up the bridge, it will be carried out according to your deployment."
"We are at the front, and many times we do not understand the intentions of our superiors too deeply. It is impossible for our superiors to explain the overall combat intentions in too much detail to our level. Whether the Songhua River Railway Bridge is preserved or not is indeed related to the next step of our army.
operational deployment, but as subordinates we still have limited knowledge of what the superiors’ current true operational intentions are.”
"Whether this bridge is retained or not, the superiors will consider it more comprehensively. After all, we still don't know what the superiors are thinking about the next battle. I think it is better for us to ask the superiors for instructions, and we
It’s also a good opportunity to get a feel for your superiors. At the same time, can you also report your own thoughts to your superiors via telegram?”
"However, before the superiors reply, we should follow your suggestion and remove some of the rails on the bridge and plant explosives on the bridge. In this way, no matter what the superiors' reply is, we will not be very passive when the time comes. At the same time,
, we can use the dismantled rails to strengthen our fortifications. This thing is a good thing for repairing fortifications."
"But Lao He, there is one thing I must remind you. The things you consider are still very comprehensive. Regardless of whether the superiors agree with the bombing of the bridge or not, this railway bridge is the only way for us to go south. If the superiors approve the bombing of the bridge
, when you execute it, the location must be chosen well. As much as possible, the Japanese and puppet troops cannot use the bridge, and we must be able to repair it in a short time when needed in the future."
"I don't know much about blasting. But I heard that you, Lao He, are quite good at using explosives because you are a miner. So, I still remind you. After all, judging from the current battlefield situation
, it is only a matter of time before our army captures the entire Buyeo and encircles and annihilates the Japanese 28th Division."
"If the main force goes south to attack Xinjing after the Buyeo War, then this railway bridge will also be a traffic lifeline for us. Don't blow up the bridge. You guys blew it up so much that there wasn't even a pier.
Stay. By then, the little devil will no longer be usable, but it will be quite difficult for us to repair it."
Cao Hui suggested asking for permission. He Fangren thought about it and finally nodded: "Okay, according to your opinion, report it to the column. Ask the column whether it is still necessary to retain the Songhua River Railway Bridge. If the column issues it
I will carry out the order to blow up the bridge."
"As for blowing up the bridge, Lao Cao saves trouble. We don't need to blow up the bridge piers. We only need to place enough explosives on the two middle piers and under the rails, and the main part of the bridge can be blown away. There is no bridge in the middle.
, only the bridge piers are left. Even if the bridge is recaptured, it will have to be overhauled if it is to be used."
"It's just that the Kwantung Army has a railway unit dedicated to repairing railways and bridges. Even if we blow up the bridge in the middle, although they can't completely repair the bridge in a short time, there will be no problem in restoring it to traffic. This
It's really a bit tricky. It can't be completely blown up, and it can't allow the Japanese to resume passage in a short time. I'm really scratching my head."