Songhu: Never Give Up

Chapter 324: All in (3)

At the outer positions of Lanfeng, the 59th Regiment's attack was repelled again, leaving behind hundreds of bodies;
The defenders also suffered heavy casualties, with only about 200 people left, including the wounded. The exchange ratio between the two sides was about 2 to 1.

After repeated consideration, the 1st Battalion Commander Wu Qiujian withdrew the remaining troops to the main position. The frontline positions were almost flattened and there was no value in holding on.
There were still more than 500 people left in the first and second battalions combined. The third battalion was better off, but it also suffered nearly casualties, mainly from aerial bombing and artillery fire.

Nearly half of the artillery battalion was damaged in the battle, leaving only 2 mountain guns, 4 mortars, and 3 infantry guns. The only thing that was not lost was the rocket launcher, which was well protected.

The battalion had more than 1900 men before the battle, but now only has 1200 men left, many of whom are wounded. Nearly 800 have died, and more than half of them have been killed or wounded.
If it were the West, this ratio of casualties would have justified surrender, but this was the East, and Wu Qiujian didn't even cry out in pain. The sentence he said most was that as long as the people were in the position, the battlefield would remain.

All the defenders withdrew to the core positions, and the defensive front became narrower, so the pressure was reduced. However, they had no way to retreat, and if they retreated further they would be at risk of the city defense.

The situation of the Japanese was even worse. After a new round of attrition, the Banxi League had only 3 people left, and many of them were wounded. In the East, there was no such thing as leaving the front line with minor injuries.

3千对1100人兵力对比不到3比1，在进攻战中优势并不大，正常进攻作战都要集中3倍以上的兵力。

In the temporary command post, Colonel Itanishi looked at the others with a stern expression, especially Major Fukushima. He had already bowed, and the bastard Fukushima still had the nerve to come back alive. People nowadays don't even care about their dignity, so he said in a stern tone:
"Gentlemen, the defenders have all retreated to the core positions. There are only 1 men left. Ammunition and supplies have been used up. We are at the end of our rope.
The hundreds of thousands of Chinese people on the periphery are tightening the encirclement. Your Excellency the division commander is under a lot of pressure, and we don't have much time left!

I requested air support from the division commander again, and after the bombing, all the brave men rushed forward;
I am invincible, and those who retreat will die!"

Everyone has sensed the captain's determination. This time they will not retreat. If they advance, they may not die, but if they retreat, they will definitely die.
Major Fukushima stood up and said:

"Everything for the Empire, everything for Your Majesty, advance without retreat, kill all the Chinese!"

The old devils stood up and shouted slogans. They were outnumbered 3 to 1. They still had confidence.

That is to say, if they encountered a guerrilla column, if it were any other Chinese people, all 300 of them would dare to attack. Only when fighting against a guerrilla column would they adhere to the principle of attack and defense of more than 2 to 1.

Seeing that the morale was good, Colonel Itanishi nodded with satisfaction and said:

"Yoshi, everyone, see you outside Lanfeng City!"

All the Japanese soldiers went back to make the final preparations for the general attack. Colonel Itanishi gave Major Kurokawa a task, which was to lead the regiment's supervision team to keep an eye on the attacking troops, and kill anyone who dared to retreat.

Major Kurokawa turned and left with murderous intent. Colonel Itanishi's eyes became unusually cold. The division commander had given him a death order, so no one could expect to survive.

Half an hour later, the Japanese aircraft group arrived as expected, and a string of bombs dropped from the sky, instantly turning the defenders' positions into a sea of ​​fire;
Although the 1st Battalion had complete defensive fortifications in the core position, many anti-artillery holes were directly hit, resulting in dozens of casualties.

The main position of the 1st Battalion was a not-too-high slope, which was a rare high ground in Lanfeng City, which was mainly plains. At least the Japanese had to attack from above;

Most of the soldier hiding caves in the main position were built on the reverse slope, and only a part of them were on the side of the longitudinal communication trench of the position.

The main position was also composed of three trenches. In order to prevent the Japanese from rushing to the core position quickly, they also set up anti-tank trenches on the periphery. Without tanks, the speed of the infantry charge could be reduced. When the Japanese aircraft group finished bombing and left, thousands of Japanese rushed up all over the mountains and plains;
As long as there are more than a thousand people, they will be densely packed. Although they are also dispersed in standard skirmish formations, from a distance they look like a swarm of bees rolling in. If it were a new recruit, he would be so scared that his legs would go limp.

The soldiers of the 1st Battalion, however, showed no sign of calm as they watched the Japs approaching step by step. The safety covers of their grenades had been unscrewed, the magazines of their machine guns had been loaded, their bayonets had been hung on the tips of their guns, and their glory bullets were pinned on their bodies. The soldiers of the st Battalion were ready to die and would never be taken prisoner.

"fire!"

The only 9 remaining artillery pieces fired fiercely at the Japanese group. Each round of shelling caused a lot of casualties to the Japanese, but the Japanese pretended not to see it and continued to rush forward under the artillery fire.

Soon the Japanese rushed into the blind spot of the artillery, and if they opened fire again, they might hit their own people. Besides, there were not many shells left, and they had to keep them for dealing with the Japanese infantry guns, mortars, and heavy machine guns, which were the targets that the defenders needed to focus on.

When the Japanese skirmishers just broke through the third line of defense of the front position, the defenders' light and heavy machine guns opened fire. This was much more effective than a few artillery pieces, and the Japanese were mowed down in groups.
Those who were lucky enough to survive also lay on the ground and fired at the defenders with the weapons in their hands. Their accurate shooting also caused a lot of casualties to the defenders.

On the high ground a few hundred meters away, a cross-fire network composed of more than a dozen Type 92 heavy machine guns was pouring thousands of bullets at the defenders' positions. Anyone who showed their head could be hit.

The battle soon became intense, and both sides tried their best, but unfortunately neither could do anything to the other.

The 1st Battalion had sufficient firepower, especially the light and heavy machine guns and mortars that worked together to block the Japanese halfway up the hillside. The Japanese suffered heavy casualties every time they moved forward.

Although the Japs had an advantage in manpower, they did not have an absolute advantage in firepower. Moreover, as the attacking party, they were unable to convert their manpower advantage into firepower advantage in a short period of time.

If the Japs had enough time to wear down the defenders, they could have used their superior numbers to consume them completely. Unfortunately, what they lacked most now was time.

Time passed like flowing water, and the patience of the Japanese officers was gradually exhausted. They began to lose their minds and drove their soldiers to charge regardless of casualties.

The defenders had used their maximum strength. There were no reserve troops at this time. Even the commander of the 1st Battalion, Wu Qiuen, brought the staff of the battalion to the position. One more person meant more strength.

“The mortars!
Staff Officer Huang—Staff Officer Huang! ! "

Wu Qiujian shouted several times but there was no response, guessing that he had died. He asked Staff Officer Li to notify the mortar to shoot down the Japanese infantry artillery and then let it launch a sneak attack. The defenders' machine guns had been used up. What could they use to stop the Japanese?

At the command center of the first detachment, Deputy Detachment Leader Hua Pinzhang came over again to ask for instructions:
"Senior, the brothers of the 1st Battalion are almost wiped out. Let me lead the 3rd Battalion to reinforce them!"

The 1st and 2nd Battalions were fighting fiercely, especially the 1st Battalion, which suffered heavy casualties. Zhu Chi was under a lot of pressure, but the Japs might still send reinforcements. He had to leave enough reserves, but the 1st Battalion also had to provide support.
So after thinking for a while, he said:

"The 3rd Battalion must not move. You must dispatch 300 men and three mortars from the detachment's direct troops to provide support, and also bring two heavy machine guns—"

Hua Pinzhang turned around and left in a hurry before Zhu Chi could finish his words. Reinforcements are needed in a hurry. 300 is 300!

(End of this chapter)