Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Taiyuan battlefield.

The First Regiment, Frontline Command Post.

"Reporting to Comrade Commander."

"All attacking units are ready according to the battle plan. Please give instructions!"

Zhang Dabiao, with a buzz cut and sharp eyes, reported to Li Yunlong.

Two days ago, the Japanese 237th and 238th Regiments were wiped out by the combined efforts of the New 1st and New 3rd Regiments.

Few Japanese soldiers surrendered, after a desperate counterattack by the Japanese last night.

The commander of the 238th Regiment led the remaining several hundred Japanese soldiers out of their positions and launched an attack on the New Third Regiment's position.

Although the New Third Regiment was prepared, the Japanese troops still managed to breach their lines, resulting in over a hundred casualties.

However, in the Qinglongshan and Qizishan battlefields, the overall casualty ratio between the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese was about 1 to 8.

In other words, while wiping out two regiments of over 6000 Japanese soldiers, the Eighth Route Army suffered nearly a thousand casualties.

This ratio is within the acceptable range for Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang.

After all, the Japanese had built tunnels, concrete structures, and reverse slope fortifications.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army was able to fight the US forces to a standstill by relying on tunnels and reverse slope fortifications because the equipment of the Volunteer Army infantry was not much worse than that of the US forces. They also had various submachine guns, light and heavy machine guns, anti-tank rocket launchers, and artillery fire support.

However, the Japanese army's equipment was inferior not only to that of the US military, but also to that of the Nationalist army during the Chinese Civil War.

Therefore, even if the Japanese used tunnel and reverse slope tactics, it was difficult to inflict much casualties on the Eighth Route Army.

Closer to home.

After dealing with the Japanese troops at Qinglong Mountain and Qizi Mountain, the main force of the New First Regiment and some combat supplies had arrived in Yangqu. Li Yunlong and Ding Wei then joined forces and continued to advance southward without hindrance.

However, after arriving near Taiyuan, Li Yunlong did not immediately launch a general offensive, but rested for a night.

Once all units are ready, then prepare to launch the attack.

Apart from the reserves, all columns of the New First Regiment and the New Third Regiment were assigned offensive missions.

"Pass on my order!" Li Yunlong's expression was stern: "According to the battle plan, launch an attack on the enemy!"

This battle can no longer be delayed. The main force of the Japanese North China Area Army has launched an offensive from the Ping-Sui and Zheng-Tai routes, attempting to reinforce the Japanese First Army.

Although the Eighth Route Army's strength has now surpassed that of the North China Front Army.

However, the longer the fighting dragged on, the worse it would be for the Eighth Route Army. On the one hand, the soldiers were not made of iron; the longer the fighting went on, the more exhausted they became.

On the other hand, what if the Japanese troops in Central China and the Kwantung Army in Northeast China reinforce North China?

For the Eighth Route Army, that was not a good situation!
"Yes!"

Zhang Dabiao picked up the phone receiver and said:
"Commander's orders: Attack according to plan!"

In an instant, a total of eight artillery groups from the New First Regiment and the New Third Regiment, each at least the size of an artillery regiment, launched an artillery barrage on the Japanese front lines, with dense shells exploding continuously on the Japanese positions.

The shelling lasted for only 5 minutes.

Then, the Eighth Route Army's infantry and tanks launched a probing attack on the Japanese positions.

The mission of this attack was not to capture the enemy's positions, but to lure the Japanese into opening fire.

The Eighth Route Army advanced to within fifty meters of the Japanese front-line positions before withdrawing.

"Report to the leader."

In the regimental headquarters, Zhang Dabiao reported to Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang on the enemy situation reported by the attacking troops:

"The enemy's fortifications are very strong, and their firepower is not exposed much, making it difficult to capture the position."

Li Yunlong frowned slightly: "Damn it!"

When the troops were probing the attack, Li Yunlong was secretly observing from a short distance away.

Unlike other commanders who prefer to strategize from their headquarters, Li Yunlong preferred to be on the front lines, analyzing the enemy's weaknesses based on his troops' engagements with them.

The Japanese fortifications in Taiyuan were more difficult to breach than Li Yunlong had imagined.

Of course, with the equipment of the new First and Third Regiments now, a strong attack would definitely be able to take them down.

However, the casualties among the troops were relatively high.

Right now, Li Yunlong needs to consider how to reduce troop casualties.

"Let the troops attack again and see how things go!"

"This shelling will last for ten minutes!"

Li Yunlong gave the order.

"Yes, sir." Zhang Dabiao immediately grabbed the telephone receiver. "The shelling will last for ten minutes. After the shelling ends, the troops will launch an attack immediately!" As the order from the regimental headquarters was given, the artillery groups opened fire again. Dense shells pounded on the Japanese positions, and the entire area outside Taiyuan City shook as if an earthquake had occurred.

After ten minutes of shelling, the infantry and tanks of each unit launched another attack.

This attack was not a probing attack, but a real one; Li Yunlong wanted to see the Japanese firepower.

……

at the same time.

On the Taiyuan city wall, in a sturdy concrete fortification, Yoshio Shinotsuka, Renya Mutaguchi, and a group of Japanese staff officers were also observing the battle situation through binoculars.

All the Japanese officers had solemn expressions on their faces.

"Baka! Just how many cannons did the Eighth Route Army use?"

"Mutaguchi Renya said with a gloomy expression."

"Approximately 500 doors!"

"Each cannon has a caliber of no less than 75 millimeters, and at least half of them are heavy cannons with a caliber of 105 millimeters or more!"

An artillery staff officer from headquarters provided a figure.

"Twenty?"

"Half of them are heavy artillery?"

Renya Mutaguchi was both shocked and envious.

According to the Japanese artillery organization, 36 cannons constituted one artillery regiment, and 500 cannons would constitute approximately 14 artillery regiments, of which more than 7 were heavy artillery regiments.

The entire North China Front Army couldn't muster even seven mountain artillery regiments and seven heavy artillery regiments!

Clearly, this was not all of Li Yunlong's artillery units.

Putting aside everything else, none of Li Yunlong's heavy howitzer units with guns larger than 200mm have fired a shot yet.

Yoshio Shinotsuka stood to the side, expressionless.

But deep down, my heart was already churning with turmoil.

Back then, those Eighth Route Army guerrillas, who were being chased by the Locust Army and were running around in the ravines, already possessed the strength to annihilate the First Army and even the entire North China Front Army.

"Why are you panicking?"

Yoshio Shinotsuka snorted coldly, striving to maintain his commander's dignity:

"Taiyuan's fortifications are strong. Even if the Eighth Route Army has superior equipment, our First Army will definitely be able to inflict heavy casualties on them!"

Renya Mutaguchi nodded:
"That's right, those Eighth Route Army guerrillas don't have the strength to wipe out my First Army!"

The Eighth Route Army's second offensive was quickly repelled by the Japanese and their puppet troops.

This gave the Japanese and puppet troops of the First Army a significant boost in confidence.

……

"As expected, the Japanese have been operating in Taiyuan for so long, it won't be so easy to take it down."

Li Yunlong said calmly.

Zhang Dabiao said worriedly, "As the saying goes, 'Once is better than twice, then it will decline, and finally it will be exhausted.' If we can't break through after a long siege, it may affect the morale of the soldiers."

The New First Regiment's troops have always been invincible, and battles like today's, where two consecutive attacks failed to even reach the Japanese front lines, are practically unheard of.

The soldiers are in high spirits right now, so there's nothing wrong with it in just a few days, but it will definitely affect their morale over time.

Zhao Gang also said, "Our troops have won too many battles in the past two years, and things have gone too smoothly."

"You two need to have faith in our soldiers," Li Yunlong said to Zhao Gang and Zhang Dabiao with a hint of annoyance. "Even if our attacks fail twice, or even twenty times, our soldiers will still charge forward with a roar."

Then Li Yunlong stared at the map, his eyes slightly narrowed, and a sly smile appeared on his lips.

That son of a bitch...

Seeing Li Yunlong's expression, Zhao Gang knew that Li Yunlong had already come up with a plan to attack Taiyuan.

This kid has a lot of clever ideas for fighting; he can come up with a tactic the moment he lifts his butt.

"Old Li, do you have something on your mind?" Zhao Gang asked.

Li Yunlong nodded, acknowledging the accusation, and then looked up at Zhang Dabiao: "Dabiao, have the troops suspend the attack."

"Yes, sir." Zhang Dabiao straightened up and asked curiously, "Commander, what's the next step?"

"The next offensive will require a change in tactics." Li Yunlong approached the sand table, pointed at it, and said, "Zhang Dabiao, take note of this. I've made the following adjustments to the deployment." (End of Chapter)