Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 630 Bringing Warmth to Wounded Japanese Soldiers!
After the first wave of attacks lasted for half an hour, Li Yunlong ordered the attacking troops to retreat.

In this offensive, the flamethrower tank battalion of the New 1st Regiment fought very well, inflicting over a thousand casualties on the Japanese at the cost of over a hundred casualties themselves.

The casualty ratio between the Japanese and Li Yunlong was about 1 to 10, which satisfied both Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang.

With this casualty ratio, Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang were not in a hurry to capture the Qinglong Mountain position.

Because many main forces and combat supplies have not yet arrived, today's attack is just a small test.

"Reporting to the regimental commander, Political Commissar Zhao."

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang returned to the regimental headquarters, and Zhang Dabiao immediately came up to report:
"Just now, Deputy Regiment Commander Xing of the Jin District Central Army sent a telegram. The operation to attack Niangziguan Fortress is going smoothly. They have captured the Japanese positions on the east side of Niangziguan Fortress and Niangziguan Station, and eliminated more than 1,000 Japanese soldiers from the 108th Brigade. The 108th Brigade has now suffered more than half of its casualties."

The 108th Brigade consisted of two infantry regiments and one mountain artillery battalion, with a total strength of over 6 men.

In the previous days, the 108th Brigade suffered more than 2000 casualties in the heavy bombing by the 129th Division. The Jinzhong Military Region's offensive from yesterday to today has resulted in more than 1,000 casualties for the 108th Brigade.

"Old Li," Zhao Gang exclaimed with delight, "it seems that taking Niangziguan Fortress is just around the corner!"

The Niangziguan Pass was of great importance to both China and Japan.

Whoever controls Niangziguan will have the initiative in the battle.

The Japanese soldiers were determined to defend Niangziguan Pass at the cost of their lives.

Zhang Dabiao stared at the map and said, "The key to annihilating the 108th Brigade is whether the 129th Division can capture Jiuguan and cut off the enemy's retreat."

Niangziguan is divided into the new pass and the old pass. The new pass is mainly centered on Niangziguan Station, with gun emplacements and fortresses on the surrounding hills on both sides.

The old pass is about 10 kilometers away from the new pass. It is in a similarly strategic location, easy to defend and difficult to attack, but the fortifications are not as elaborate.

Only by capturing Jiuguan could the retreat route of the 108th Brigade be completely cut off, and the Japanese troops from Hebei Province be prevented from reinforcing Niangziguan Fortress. This task was assigned to the 129th Division by headquarters.

Yangquan and Shouyang, two county towns on the Zhengtai Road, had already been recaptured by Xing Zhiguo's troops because the Japanese had left few troops behind.

"Don't you, Zhang Dabiao, know what kind of strength the division commander possesses?"

Li Yunlong glanced at Zhang Dabiao.

“That’s true,” Zhang Dabiao said. “With the current strength of the 129th Division, taking down Jiuguan should be a piece of cake.”

"By the way," Li Yunlong looked at the sky, "I think the Japanese suffered quite a few casualties today. They'll definitely use minivans to transport the wounded back to Taiyuan later, so the air regiment can send some warmth to the wounded Japanese soldiers."

Zhang Dabiao's lips curled up slightly: "Yes!"

……

After half an hour.

"Captain!"

Lieutenant Colonel Kato, Chief of Staff of the 237th Regiment of the Japanese Army, reported:

"The casualties have been tallied. Our regiment suffered 600 dead and 800 wounded, including 300 seriously wounded."

Upon hearing the casualty figures, his voice suddenly rose: "Nani?"

Although I had expected it, hearing the casualty figures still made my heart skip a beat.

The Eighth Route Army's attack was just a routine one, yet the 237th Regiment suffered more than a third of its casualties!

And what about the casualties of the Eighth Route Army?
Masahiko Nara estimates that there are no more than 200.

If such a routine attack were to occur twice more, the 237th Regiment would be completely wiped out.

"Commander, our regiment is severely lacking in medical personnel and medicines. We must immediately send the seriously wounded to the division's field hospital for treatment!" Lieutenant Colonel Kato said.

Japanese field hospitals usually operated alongside divisional headquarters.

The division headquarters is currently located near Taiyuan New City Airport, which is some distance from Qinglong Mountain.

While lightly wounded soldiers can return to the battlefield after rest and bandaging, many seriously wounded soldiers require immediate medical attention or even surgery.

If these seriously wounded soldiers are not treated, then the uninjured soldiers will not fight to the death.

"Immediately arrange a convoy to transport the seriously wounded soldiers to the divisional field hospital."

"Nara Masahiko said in a deep voice."

"Hi."

Lieutenant Colonel Kato lowered his head, turned around, and quickly went to arrange the convoy and issue orders.

"How is the battle going with the 238th Regiment?"

Nara Masahiko asked the artillery company commander of the mountain, who had been using the artillery scope to observe the battle situation on the other side of Qizi Mountain during the fighting.

The 238th Regiment, which also belonged to the 41st Division, was defending Qizi Mountain. Nara Masahiko had a bad relationship with his regimental commander, Colonel Yamaguchi Tatsuharu, and the two often quarreled over the distribution of combat supplies for the 41st Division.

In troop training, the 237th Regiment often outperformed the 238th Regiment.

Just as the Eighth Route Army was attacking Qinglong Mountain, it also simultaneously dispatched tanks and infantry to attack Qizi Mountain.

The artillery company commander replied, "The 238th Regiment also suffered more than 1000 casualties. Their regimental headquarters arranged for a convoy to transport the seriously wounded back to the field hospital."

"Yoshi."

Nara Masahiko nodded, feeling much better immediately.

……

After half an hour.

Above the highway leading from Qinglong Mountain to Taiyuan, a formation of more than 30 fighter jets and attack aircraft descended along the highway.

"Report 01: Enemy convoy of wounded soldiers spotted at 12 o'clock. Should we attack?"

Over the radio, a wingman reported to Zhang Chengwu.

"According to the plan, dive-bomb the enemy convoy." Zhang Chengwu also saw the Japanese convoy on the road, and even through his binoculars, he could see the seriously wounded Japanese soldiers on the small trucks.

Without hesitation, he issued the attack order and pushed the control stick, causing the Mustang fighter to roar down and dive towards the Japanese convoy.

Thinking of the orders issued by the regimental headquarters, Zhang Chengwu smiled slightly. The orders issued by the regimental headquarters this time were quite interesting: the flight squadron was ordered to dispatch no fewer than 30 fighter jets, armed with napalm bombs, to look for opportunities on the highway from Qinglong Mountain to Taiyuan to deliver some warmth to the seriously wounded Japanese soldiers.

On the ground, a Japanese driver suddenly heard a sound different from that of a car engine, and his expression immediately changed drastically.

"Oh no, it's a bandit plane!"

The Japanese soldier in the co-pilot's seat wet himself on the spot upon hearing this, and urged:
"Quick, quick..."

The Japanese driver immediately stepped on the gas, but no matter how hard he pressed the accelerator, the Type 94 truck with only 73 horsepower could only reach a top speed of 60 kilometers per hour.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

With the sound of cannon fire, four mounds of dirt and gravel, each a meter high, quickly caught up with the Japanese mini-trucks on the road. After a series of crackling sounds, the Japanese driver was instantly smashed to pieces. A napalm bomb hit the mini-truck, and with a loud bang, the entire Japanese mini-truck convoy, including the co-driver and the seriously wounded Japanese soldiers, melted in the intense heat.

At a speed of 60 kilometers per hour, even a fighter jet is prone to bombing deviation.

However, taking out the Japanese driver and stopping the Japanese truck would make it much easier to dive and attack the stationary target.

In less than five minutes, more than 30 small trucks and more than 300 seriously wounded Japanese soldiers all received warmth.

Just then, the reconnaissance plane reported that another Japanese convoy transporting wounded soldiers had been spotted behind them.

With plenty of ammunition remaining, Zhang Chengwu immediately led the formation to turn around and fly towards the second convoy transporting the wounded.

(End of this chapter)