Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Niangziguan Fortress.

After being bombarded for half an hour, the original Niangziguan Fortress had been completely transformed.

It directly destroyed Niangziguan Station and most of the brick and stone bunkers and watchtowers inside Niangziguan.

The entire Niangziguan Pass was like it had been carpet-bombed, covered with shell craters of all sizes, and the puppet troops in the brick bunkers and watchtowers suffered heavy casualties.

However, apart from the heavy casualties suffered by the Japanese soldiers in the concrete fortifications south of Niangziguan Fortress.

The rest of the Japanese soldiers suffered few casualties, as they mostly hid in tunnels and concrete fortifications.

108rd Brigade Headquarters.

Half an hour had passed, and the sound of artillery fire gradually subsided. Major Shibata, the commander of the mountain artillery battalion, looked at his wristwatch and said in a solemn tone, "Exactly half an hour. The Eighth Route Army's 300 heavy artillery has fired more than 1 heavy artillery shells."

"One of them was a powerful heavy artillery piece, which should have been used by the Eighth Route Army for the first time in actual combat. Its power was no less than that of the Type 4 or 5 240mm heavy howitzer of the Locust Army."

Upon hearing this, the faces of all the Japanese officers and staff in the brigade headquarters changed.

第108旅团除了20门75山炮之外，就是4门150毫米要塞加农炮，炮兵火力差距太大了。

Although there are still a considerable number of 70mm Type 92 infantry guns, Type 97 90mm mortars, and grenade launchers that have been deployed to squads.

But what's the use?

In the face of 300 heavy artillery pieces, and even those with a diameter of 200mm or more, it would be nothing more than a loud bang.

"Shh!"

Major Shibata only felt a flash of sword light before his eyes, and a samurai sword was placed against his neck.

"If you dare to disrupt morale again, I'll chop off your head."

Yoshitaro Hayashi looked coldly at Major Shibata.

"Yes, sir." Major Shibata was startled and quickly replied, "Please rest assured, brigade commander, I will definitely lead the mountain artillery battalion to repel the enemy's attack."

Hayashi Yoshitaro snorted coldly before sheathing his major general's sword: "All units, defend according to the pre-arranged plan. The Locust Army's fortifications are solid, and the enemy cannot break through."

"Hi."

The Japanese soldiers fell silent in fear and quickly left their tunnel fortifications to prepare for the Eighth Route Army's attack.

One by one, Japanese infantrymen rushed out of the tunnels, out of the concrete fortifications, and into the defensive positions.

Meanwhile, in each concrete fortification, mountain guns were quickly raised, and four 150mm cannons were also ready.

In order to conserve ammunition, the Japanese artillery did not suppress the Eighth Route Army's artillery formations.

Because the Eighth Route Army's artillery was too far away, and the Japanese did not know the firing parameters, randomly suppressing the enemy was just a waste of shells.

Yoshitaro Hayashi and Chief of Staff Kiyoe Watanabe immediately stepped out of the tunnel brigade headquarters and raised their binoculars to look at the fortifications south of Niangziguan.

Previously, the brigade headquarters had been unable to contact the southern fortress fortifications by phone.

The two old Japanese soldiers guessed that the telephone line might have been blown up.

"Nani!"

Looking at the devastated state of the southern fortress through the telescope, the two old Japanese soldiers, Yoshitaro Hayashi and Kiyoe Watanabe, suddenly widened their eyes.

Not only were all the concrete fortifications of the southern fortress destroyed, but the main fortress was also blasted to pieces.

This isn't just a phone line being blown up.
The telephones were clearly destroyed.

A large battalion of troops is stationed in the southern fortress complex!

It looks like there were heavy casualties.

I, Major General Yoshitaro Hayashi, am in great distress!

The main fortifications of Niangziguan Fortress are located in the south and west.

Because to the south were the troops of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, and to the west were the troops of the New First Regiment of the Jinzhong Military Region of the Eighth Route Army.

Both of these forces are extremely powerful and require close defense.

To the north were the troops of the Eighth Route Army's Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region. Although they had a large territory and many troops, their combat effectiveness was average. To the east was the Jingxing Fortress, and further east was the North China Plain. However, only the second day of the battle had passed, and not only had the outer fortifications been cleared by the Eighth Route Army, but even the concrete fortifications in the southern part of the Niangziguan Fortress had been destroyed.

Kiyoe Watanabe, standing to the side, also looked completely incredulous.

How could such a powerful concrete structure be blown down so easily?

Whether it was the concrete bunkers and pillboxes or the main fortifications, the thickness was over 2 meters, with the thickest part of the main fortification reaching 3 meters. They were all made of high-grade cement and had plenty of steel reinforcement, but they still couldn't withstand the artillery fire from the Eighth Route Army.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Fangtaro suppressed his shock: "It's not a big problem. Besides the concrete fortifications, the Locust Army also has tunnel fortifications in the mountains. I don't believe that the Eighth Route Army can blow up Niangziguan Pass."

Watanabe Kiyoe nodded and said, "What the brigade commander said is very true. Niangziguan is a steep terrain, and the Eighth Route Army's tanks cannot drive up. Our firepower in the tunnels can massacre the Eighth Route Army's infantry."

"However, in terms of artillery firepower, we are still inferior to the Eighth Route Army."

"I hope that the brigade commander will send a telegram to the division headquarters requesting air support to bomb the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery positions."

“Alright.” Hayashi Yoshitaro nodded. “Watanabe-kun, draft the telegram immediately.”

As Watanabe Kiyoe lowered his head, before he could even utter the word "Hi," a buzzing sound filled the sky.

The two old Japanese soldiers eagerly raised their binoculars and looked up at the sky.

The two old Japanese soldiers' faces fell the moment they saw the plane.

It wasn't Japanese planes that came, but Eighth Route Army planes.

The two old Japanese soldiers' expressions changed drastically when they thought of the Eighth Route Army planes' inhuman incendiary bombs.

"idiot."

"Enemy aircraft are attacking. Return to the tunnel immediately and sound the air raid siren."

After uttering a few words, the two old Japanese soldiers moved swiftly.

Instead of the expected attack by the Eighth Route Army infantry, they were met with Eighth Route Army aircraft.

Without proper anti-aircraft firepower, the Japanese soldiers had no choice but to hide in tunnels and concrete fortifications.

The Eighth Route Army planes were even faster; less than a minute after the sound was heard, they swooped down over the Niangziguan Fortress.

Watanabe and Lin Fang were very close to the tunnel entrance, but the Japanese soldiers who entered the southern position were in a terrible situation. The tunnel entrance was blown up, and the main fortifications and concrete fortifications were destroyed. They could only scatter and flee in terror.

"Boom boom boom..."

More than 50 aircraft swooped down in three formations, bombing and napalm with tremendous force, sending explosions and shockwaves rising up within Niangziguan Pass.

In an instant, the entire Niangziguan Pass was once again engulfed in flames.

After this bombing, the infantry of the 129th Division still did not attack. The artillery quickly replenished its shells and then bombarded Niangziguan again.

The artillery bombarded, then the air force ... artillery bombard

After a full day of shelling and bombardment, the 108th Brigade had suffered considerable losses.

Even at night, the Eighth Route Army would occasionally bombard the area with artillery shells, while simultaneously deploying troops in the Fourth Field Army. Every half hour, the soldiers would shout battle cries, and artillery and machine guns would fire, but they would not launch a formal attack.

This made it impossible for the Japanese soldiers to sleep soundly, and their morale plummeted.

"Baka, is this never going to end?"

Inside the 108th Brigade headquarters, Yoshitaro Hayashi roared in frustration.

……

At the same time, at the headquarters of the New First Regiment, Li Yunlong received a telegram from the division headquarters.

"The division commander said that this 203mm howitzer is extremely powerful."

"On average, three shots are enough to completely destroy a concrete bunker or pillbox."

"Even the main fortifications of the fortress, which are up to 3 meters thick, can be blasted open with a single shot."

Zhang Dabiao held the telegram in his hand and reported to Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang.

"Haha, not bad!" Li Yunlong said with satisfaction. "Order: the heavy howitzer battalion will support the Independent Brigade's attack tomorrow. They must clear the outer fortifications of Xinxian County by tomorrow." (End of Chapter)