Chapter 1520 Sunset over a Lonely City (Part 2)

"Who said we can't go back to the Taihang Mountains? The regimental commander told all of us during a military meeting some time ago that after this battle, our entire regiment will return to the Taihang Mountains to rest. Those who live in North China can take a family leave. moon.

One month! When I left last time, my little girl cried so much. Three or four years have passed in a blink of an eye, and my little girl almost doesn’t recognize me as her father. "Boss Cao hugged his soldier, sadness and hope flashed in his eyes.

After fighting fiercely in the city for nearly a month, his infantry platoon, which originally had only more than 30 people, now only had half of its people left.

But this is still good. It is said that the 7th company he belongs to can no longer gather the original platoon, and the area of ​​the city that their 7th company is responsible for defending, after more than 20 days of repeated battles, there are still 16 positions that are firmly established. It's in the hands of their 7th company.

Including Building 5102, where the five of them are now, although the building has long lost its value, in this ruins, if the Japanese army cannot kill all five of them, they will not be able to enter another neighborhood with peace of mind.

Because they couldn't guarantee whether there would be a gun sticking out from the ruins and firing at them. In the past 20 days, this kind of thing happened at any time.

The Japanese were forced to clear out their opponents house by house and then send troops to garrison them. This was exactly what the Hengyang headquarters wanted to see most.

The Japanese could only disperse their forces and enter the streets in small groups. Their strongest weapons could only be infantry guns or a few Type 97 tanks.

The 70mm infantry gun and the 47mm rapid-fire gun of the Type 97 tank are both small-caliber artillery. They can destroy a residential house, but they are not very effective against the various solid fortifications that China started building three months ago.

The Hengyang headquarters even deliberately let go of some blocks, just so that after the Japanese infantry entered them, both sides would have me and me, making the Japanese 105 and 150 howitzers useless.

As a result, this urban street battle turned into a complete mess in nearly 30 days. Both sides did not worry about their organization, but almost numbly threw their soldiers into the ruins with a radius of only 2.8 kilometers to strangle each other.

The Japanese army has the advantage of having a sufficient number of troops, but the Chinese have the advantage of an infantry communication system that surpasses this era and familiarity with the geographical environment.

Of course, the most important reason why China was able to fight the nearly 50,000 Japanese troops who entered the ruins for a month without any supplies was that there were tunnels extending in all directions and more than 40,000 reserves.

During the two months when the regular army fought fiercely with the Japanese army outside Hengyang City, the reserve forces in the city not only shouldered the important task of constantly replenishing the troops outside the city, but also worked day and night to dig underground tunnels.

They were like a group of industrious ants who dug out spider web-like passages under Hengyang City in 60 days. Although they did not lead to every house, there were at least 6 exits in one block. It is completely possible to have caves for hiding soldiers and storage of food, water, ammunition, etc.

According to post-war statistics, the total length of the underground tunnels reached an astonishing 80 kilometers, and the earth dug out amounted to tens of thousands of tons. It can be called a miracle in the history of human war.

It can be seen what potential human beings can unleash when their lives are threatened.

It is precisely this miracle created by these young men who stayed in Hengyang City that Hengyang City is still in the hands of the Chinese. Even after a month has passed, the Chinese regular army is sacrificing hundreds of people every day, but the guns of Hengyang City are still in the hands of the Chinese side. The sound never stopped for almost 24 hours.

For example, the 5102 position where Boss Cao is located has been fought for more than 10 times. The Japanese army used infantry artillery and Type 97 tanks to capture it during the day. Boss Cao took a group of people from Class 4 to hide in an underground tunnel, and then captured it again at night. Fight the Japanese again during the day.

Just like this, the 4th squad has been reduced sharply from the original 9 people to 4 people. This does not include the 26 newly added reserve soldiers. They are not as lucky as Luo Dahu. In this month Inside, all have been killed.

In this position alone, 31 Chinese people were killed.

There were no serious injuries, because in such street fighting, serious injury means death. No one has the ability to cross the line of fire and drag his comrades to a safe area dozens of meters away in a fierce battle.

They either silently stopped breathing behind their fighting comrades, or at the last moment of their lives, they pulled the grenade fuse and took away the enemy.

To some extent, it was the wounded soldiers themselves who were unwilling to continue living.

Because Hengyang at this time has already reached the point where it has run out of ammunition and food. The bullets and food are not bad. Due to some previous reserves, it can at least ensure that the soldiers and civilians in the city have food to eat. Moreover, as long as the Japanese soldiers are killed, the Japanese soldiers will carry guns with them. Ammunition and biscuits can be replenished at any time, which is a typical battle to support war.

But the medicines had long been exhausted, and Tang Dao had already prepared for a rainy day. When hundreds of medical staff arrived, they carried more than ten tons of medicines and medical supplies, but even he did not expect that the battle would be so fierce or last for such a long time.

Since late July, the city has been running out of medicines, especially disinfectant and cotton wool. The small supply of medicines dropped by transport planes every day is just a drop in the bucket for the 13,000 seriously injured people in Hengyang.

In the end, the medical staff could only scald the cotton wool with boiling water to sterilize it. There were no medical bandages. Tantai Mingyue, director of the field hospital, took the lead. Hundreds of medical staff donated their shirts and sheets and directly tore them into strips of cloth. Used to bandage wounds.

As the top commander of the city, Fang Xianjue knew that his direct unit, the Pre-10th Division, was almost completely wiped out in the south of the city. Four regiment commanders were killed, 2 were wounded, and 2 were wounded. Seven of the main battalion commanders were killed, but he did not cry. On August 20, I cried when I inspected Tunnel No. 3 of the field hospital.

That day, not long after the scorching sun set, gunshots were still ringing in the sky in Hengyang City. Fang Xianjue decided to go to the field hospital to visit the wounded soldiers, and also brought canned meat and canned meat that all the officers in the command had saved these days. A little milk candy just dropped from the air to encourage these wounded soldiers for their efforts on the front line.

As soon as the person walked into the tunnel, he heard deep and deep groans, as if coming from the depths of hell, accompanied by a rotten smell. What caught the eye of the lieutenant general was: wounded. The soldiers were all weakly leaning on or lying on both sides of the tunnel. They were all skinny and skinny, with sunken eyes and hollow eyes. The seriously wounded soldiers who were missing arms and legs barely had a door panel to use as a stretcher to lie on.

However, what is shocking is that swarms of flies keep swooping at their wounds, but the wounded seem to be used to it and don't even bother to chase them away.

"Military seat!" Suddenly, Fang Xianjue, who was feeling heartbroken, heard someone calling him in a low voice. He turned around and saw a man leaning against the wall of the tunnel, with an unkempt beard, thin cheeks, sunken eyes, and mumbling words.

Fang Xianjue hurriedly walked over and leaned down to look at the wounded soldier. His wound was wrapped in a bandage, but it should not have been cleaned with medicine for a long time. There was a foul smell coming from the bandage, and there were flies on it. Xian Jue quickly waved his hand to drive them away, but soon the lieutenant general discovered that it was in vain. There were too many flies inside and they couldn't get rid of them.

However, this is still small compared to the ground.

Today's Hengyang City is more like hell than hell! No matter you are standing inside or outside the city, as long as you look around, the first creature you see must be a fly, which is quite fat.

Because their food is really too rich.

There are corpses everywhere! The Japanese army continued to burn on the banks of the Xiangjiang River, day and night, but could not keep up with the production of corpses.

Before they even entered Hengyang City, the Japanese army killed another 35,000 people and injured 20,000 people, equivalent to the loss of two first-class divisions.

In the words of Zhao Junmai, who came from a wealthy family: There was really no food that day. Just these flies flying all over the sky were probably enough to feed the entire city of Hengyang for two days.

Although it is a bit disgusting, it is enough to show that flies are the largest biological group in Hengyang at this time.

Human beings are nothing more than the carriers used for their food and reproduction of offspring.

But at this time, Fang Xianjue also saw this person clearly. It turned out that this was the captain of the 9th Company of the 28th Regiment of the 10th Division, who was rescued by his sergeant squad leader despite serious military crimes.

This army captain was a squad leader under Fang Xianjue when he was still the regiment commander. He trained with Fang Xianjue in Jinhua. Fang Xianjue knew him and knew his surname was Dai.

At that time, the captain named Dai was shot four times, the most fatal bullet was in the right side of his chest. Fortunately, it was still some distance from his heart. He survived an operation at a field hospital, but he did not expect that 40 days had passed. His injury still hadn't healed.

It turned out that the army captain survived the wound infection, but he encountered a shortage of medicine at the critical moment of wound healing. The army captain who had regained consciousness resolutely moved out of the basement of the Central Bank, which was specially designed for seriously injured soldiers. Coming to Tunnel No. 3, which lacked medicine, caused the wounds that had not yet healed to become infected and rotten again.

As Hengyang entered street fighting in August, it was even more precious for the air-dropped medicine to fall into the hands of the Chinese side. The nurses had to use only salt water to debridement, and the medical effect was obviously better than nothing.

Captain Dai looked at his commander with blank eyes and said angrily: "Commander, please believe me, I can still move. Send someone to carry me to the position. As long as there is a machine gun, I can't move." Before I die, I will never let the Japanese come forward. I will continue to kill the Japanese with my brothers in the 9th Company!"

Fang Xianjue burst into tears at that time. If he remembered correctly, the 28th Regiment reported that it was this 9th company that fought back against the main position of Zhangjiashan on July 20. The last 50 people who remained were unable to fight to the death with the Japanese. After retreating, the whole company found 8 seriously injured soldiers. Before they could be treated after being transported to the rear, 4 more died.

At that time, he informed the whole army in the name of Hengyang Command and named the company "Zhangjiashan Company" to commemorate the company's achievements in that battle.

But, what’s the use of giving more rewards and commendations? Maybe, this Zhangjiashan Company will only have one Miaomiao in front of them.

"Okay, if I, the Chinese soldiers, can be like you, I can defend not just one Hengyang, but hundreds and thousands of Hengyangs. Here I promise you in my own name that Hengyang can be lost, but before that, Our head must be hung at the gate of the Central Bank first! You can rest and recover for the time being. After you recover, you will not only be a company commander, but also a battalion commander and a regiment commander, leading more brothers to kill the Japanese. After all, Fang Xianjue did not tell the army captain the bad news about his infantry company. Instead, he leaned down, carried the veteran who had been with him for nearly 10 years, and walked out of Tunnel No. 3.

Whether it was out of friendship for many years or for the sake of the 'Zhangjiashan Company' which had no soldiers left, this army captain had to live.

Fang Xianjue, who respected Tan Tai Mingyue very much, rarely lost his temper at the No. 1 station of the field hospital, and immediately returned to the headquarters to send a telegram to the Military Commission: "I can lead the entire army to die in Hengyang, but I will never sit back and watch more than 10,000 of my soldiers die of pain after fulfilling their military duties. I am willing to exchange all my property and rewards for medicines to treat the wounded!"

This was also the first time that Fang Xianjue did not show enough respect to that person in the telegram, even though that person had said for almost 40 days that 'reinforcements will arrive tomorrow'.

But for the sake of 13,000 wounded, this famous general was willing to go all out.

It had some effect. From August 21, the number of transport planes that airdropped medicines to Hengyang City increased to 6 every night, and the airdropped medicines and medical equipment reached several tons. Although less than half were picked up by the Japanese army, it was also a relief for the city of Hengyang.

Otherwise, the wound infection under the high temperature in this hot summer alone can kill half of the wounded soldiers in Hengyang City.

31 people died in the battle in the city in the 4th squad of the 3rd platoon, so how many Japanese soldiers died?

According to the battle report of the Shima Detachment of the 68th Division, which was responsible for the main attack on this area, the detachment lost 178 imperial officers and soldiers in the battle to conquer this building, 97 were injured, and one and a half infantry squadrons were written off. That's not all. Their detachment commander, Major General Shima Genkichi, also died in a battle that he personally arrived at the front line to supervise the battle three days ago.

Speaking of which, Major General Shima Genkichi deserved to die. He should have been lucky enough to die in the battle on the outskirts of the city, but the wheel of history is rolling. The future little butterfly of the Tang sword can't change its direction with all its strength. How can a small Japanese Army major general reverse it?

After several positions including the 5102 position changed hands several times, this guy was very angry and personally came to the front line to supervise the battle less than 200 meters away from the front-line soldiers.

Unfortunately, Adong was lying in ambush on the third floor of the building that was about to collapse. Adong, who had lost his left arm, could no longer shoot a target 400 meters away like in the past, but he could still shoot 250 meters.

Although Major General Shima was wearing a steel helmet and military uniform, he was undoubtedly the same as the surrounding Japanese officers, but the gold thread inlaid on the scabbard of his command sword shone brightly under the reflection of the sun, which was captured by Adong at once.

He didn't know how high the rank of this Japanese officer was, but the scabbard was inlaid with gold, which was very awesome.

He was so awesome, he was just going to let people shoot him!

The assault rifle controlled by one arm was adjusted to single-shot mode, and it hit the target with one shot!

However, at a distance of more than 200 meters, the Japanese steel helmet was easily penetrated by the 7.92 caliber bullet. Under the protection of nearly ten Japanese soldiers, the Japanese Army Major General's brain tissue leaked out, becoming the first Japanese general to be killed by Chinese infantry at a long distance on the Hengyang battlefield, raising the level of Japanese generals killed by snipers by one level again.

This also forced Yokoyama Isamu to personally order that all those above the rank of major general should not go to the front line in person, so as to avoid adding another Japanese Army general's name to the Chinese military merit list.

Yes, in Hengyang, Shima Genkichi was not the first Japanese Army general to die in the battle. His superior, the male silver who was blown away, also died in the rear hospital due to wound infection.

Lieutenant General Ochiai Jinjiro, the commander of the 27th Division, also went to the front line in person when he launched a full-scale attack on Huangchaling in early August. As a result, the Chinese rocket launcher that had disappeared for a long time was used again, but this time it was not aimed at the infantry, but at the heavy machine gun positions and infantry artillery positions in the rear.

A rocket hit the trench where the 27th Division's front-line command post was located 700 meters away from the front line. Even more unfortunately, it was a phosphorus aluminum incendiary bomb. When the 27th Division sent people to put out the fire and save their division commander, the poor Japanese Army Lieutenant General was already half-cooked. It was only through the saber he carried with him that he confirmed that the black meat with a meaty aroma was Lieutenant General Ochiai Jinjiro.

The Chinese boot that had not landed for a long time showed their hideousness nakedly!

If 2 Army Lieutenant Generals plus 1 Army Major General were not enough to make Yokoyama Isamu lose his composure, what about 6 Colonels and 14 Majors?

The 11th Army's headquarters, located 8 kilometers away from Hengyang City, was actually far from what the outside world saw. It was looking at the nearby Hengyang City with great enthusiasm, imagining that the enemy in Hengyang would be wiped out and win military merits.

On the contrary, there was a cry of grief!

Even a fool would understand that Hengyang City is now a hot potato that cannot be eaten or held after entering Hengyang City for half a month.

Regardless of victory or defeat in this battle, just looking at the losses, the commander of the 11th Army, Lieutenant General Yokoyama Isamu, has already resigned.

The only uncertainty is whether he will be transferred back to his homeland to retire in a decent manner, or whether he will be held accountable and sent to a military court.

The 11th Army has been fighting until now, not exhausted and unable to fight again, but injured and completely crippled.

Yes, it is not a division that has been crippled, but the entire 11th Army has been crippled.

This field army, which has been known as the strongest since the establishment of the Japanese Army, has completely lost the qualification to fight a decisive battle with the main force of the Chinese side.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PS: Tomorrow Fengyue will send her daughter on a train to Chengdu. Because she didn't buy a high-speed rail ticket, she can only take a sleeper, which takes 16 hours. She will arrive in Chengdu the day after tomorrow morning, and then accompany her to register at school to arrange a dormitory and other miscellaneous matters. On the 3rd, she will meet with classmates and friends she hasn't seen for a long time in Chengdu. On the evening of the 3rd, she will take a sleeper train back to Xiangyang and will not arrive home until the afternoon of the 4th. If I have time during this period, I will take the time to update. If I am too busy, I can only wait until Fengyue returns home. I would like to explain this to the book friends.

In addition, after the book is completed, there will be about 6 chapters of extra stories, Gu Xishui and Yaomei, Tang Shanhe, etc.