Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

"General."

Not long after, the communications officer, holding a telegram, strode up to Naito Masakazu, bowed, and reported to his superior:

"An urgent telegram has been sent by Lieutenant General Tada, Commander-in-Chief of the North China Area Army!"

Naito Zhengyi waved his hands and said: "Read!"

"Yes, sir!" The communications officer immediately read the telegram aloud with both hands, "This afternoon, the main force of the First Army will break through to Hebei Province along the Zhengtai Railway. Your unit is ordered to capture the old and new Niangziguan Passes within two days to support the main force of the First Army!"

"Lieutenant General Tada Shun, Commander-in-Chief of the North China Area Army, Your Majesty the Emperor, and the Great Japanese Army!"

Naito Masato's eyes narrowed instantly as he looked at the map on the table.

The journey from Taiyuan to Niangziguan along the Zhengtai Road is approximately 150 kilometers.

According to the Japanese army's usual marching speed, it would take the First Army three days to reach Niangziguan from Taiyuan.

If there were pursuing troops from the Eighth Route Army, the First Army could arrive in about two days if forced to march.

However, there is a problem: Yangquan and Shouyang, which are located on the Zhengtai Road, are now in the hands of the Eighth Route Army.

They were blocked by the Eighth Route Army in front and pursued by the Eighth Route Army behind.

Could the main force of the First Army really reach Niangziguan safely?

If the 12th Division captures the new and old passes of Niangziguan, and the main force of the First Army is wiped out by the Eighth Route Army on the way, wouldn't the soldiers of the 12th Division have died in vain?
But then he thought about it again and realized that he was just following orders, so even if such a situation occurred, Tada Shun should be held responsible.

Naito Masashi immediately issued the order to attack.

The 12th Division's tactics were the same as those of other Japanese divisions—the artillery bombarded the infantry before they charged.

However, unlike other divisions, the 12th Division had artillery firepower that was several times stronger.

"Boom boom boom..."

One Japanese mountain artillery regiment and three heavy artillery regiments opened fire.

A dense barrage of shells rained down on the 386th Brigade's positions.

Because the Japanese artillery positions were located more than five kilometers away, with rolling hills in between, the artillery observers of the 386th Brigade could not see the Japanese artillery positions and therefore could not suppress the Japanese artillery from firing.

However, during the fighting these past few days, the soldiers of the 386th Brigade dug as they fought, creating some anti-artillery and anti-aircraft bunkers on the mountain near Jiuguan.

The Japanese artillery bombardment appeared fierce, but it did not cause many casualties to the soldiers.

However, the Japanese artillery only fired for five minutes before ceasing fire, and then each artillery regiment quickly took cover or moved to a different artillery position.

The reason is also very simple.

The Mengxian Airport of the Eighth Route Army's Jinzhong Military Region is only 50 kilometers away from here.

The plane will arrive in a maximum of 10 minutes after takeoff.

Although the 12th Division had an anti-aircraft artillery regiment, it was mainly equipped with Type 88 75mm anti-aircraft guns and Type 96 25mm anti-aircraft guns.

but,

The 12th Division had too many units that needed air defense: the supply troops needed air defense weapons, the artillery units needed air defense weapons, the attacking infantry needed air defense weapons, and the division headquarters needed air defense weapons even more.

Currently, most of the anti-aircraft artillery regiment has been deployed around the division headquarters by Naito Masakazu.

After the shelling ended, the Japanese infantry of the 12th Division did not immediately launch an attack.

About 10 minutes later, more than 30 aircraft of the Eighth Route Army arrived and launched a dive attack on the Japanese artillery positions.

After the Eighth Route Army planes dropped their bombs and left, the Japanese infantry launched a fierce attack on the 386th Brigade's position.

Duan Shutong is a sniper in the 4th Company of the 772nd Regiment of the 386th Brigade. He is 19 years old and comes from Daming County, Hebei Province.

His weapon was a Type 56 semi-automatic precision marksman rifle equipped with a 4x optical sight.

As soon as the Japanese artillery fire stopped, Duan Shutong and his observer Cui Bangen immediately emerged from their bunker and hid on the top of Jiuguan Mountain. Both were dressed in homemade ghillie suits, giving them a very professional appearance.

Cui Bangen is 24 years old and a deputy squad leader in the 4th Company of the 386th Brigade. He is from Tunliu, Shanxi Province.

Compared to Duan Shutong, who had been in the army for less than a year, Cui Bangen was already a veteran and elite soldier who had been in the army for two and a half years.

However, Duan Shutong soon demonstrated the potential to become an excellent sniper after joining the army.

After more than six months of training and practical experience, Duan Shutong has now become an outstanding sniper in the Eighth Route Army.

There were dozens of sniper teams like theirs, who all entered the sniper position together.

Equipped with semi-automatic rifles and with ample training ammunition, the 129th Division also produced a large number of sharpshooters.

Especially those veterans of the Long March, after using the Type 56 semi-automatic rifle, they were all at the level of precision marksmen.

"Squad leader, the Japanese infantry have begun their attack."

Looking around 600 or 700 meters away, a battalion of Japanese soldiers spread out and swarmed toward the front line, Duan Shutong said in a low voice.

"Brigade headquarters, the enemy has begun their attack, they are 500 meters from the front line."

Cui Bangen immediately picked up a walkie-talkie and made a call. In addition to serving as Duan Shutong's assistant gunner, he was also responsible for reporting the enemy's location to the brigade headquarters.

The attacking Japanese soldiers were clearly elite; each one exuded an aura of extreme prowess.

Soon the Japanese troops reached a position 100 meters from the forward position of the 386th Brigade.

"Fire!"

From the brigade headquarters, a resolute voice came through the telephone to the front lines.

"Da da da……"

"Boom, boom, boom..."

All of a sudden!
On the front lines, the soldiers of the 386th Brigade aimed at the Japanese and quickly opened fire, unleashing a barrage of fire from various light and heavy machine guns, semi-automatic rifles, submachine guns, and other weapons.

Gunshots rang out continuously, like popping beans!
However, the Japanese soldiers reacted quickly, crawling on the ground or rolling behind cover, setting up light and heavy machine guns and Type 38 rifles, and exchanging fire with the 386th Brigade.

At the same time, through Duan Shutong's scope, at a distance of 400 meters, a Japanese grenade launcher soldier was aiming at an Eighth Route Army machine gun firing point.

The Japanese grenade launcher team was about 200 meters from the front line, and the front line was about 200 meters from the hilltop.

Duan Shutong knew that the Japanese grenade launcher soldiers of the Class A divisions were very skilled, and some veteran Japanese grenade launcher soldiers could hit the target with the first grenade.

The most awesome Japanese grenade launcher soldier was said to be able to hear the location of enemy machine guns from across the hilltop, and then hit the enemy firing point with a grenade from across the hilltop.

Before the Japanese could fire their grenades, Duan Shutong pulled the trigger, and with a jolt of his shoulder, a 7.92mm bullet shot out of the barrel.

The next second, a burst of blood erupted from the chest of the grenade launcher soldier holding the grenade, and he fell to the ground like a dead tree stump.

The grenade launcher assistant gunner next to him immediately took the grenade from the killed Japanese soldier, set up the grenade launcher, and aimed it at the 386th Brigade's firing point.

Without pulling the bolt, Duan Shutong aimed again and pulled the trigger once more. The Japanese assistant gunner was shot in the chest and fell to the side in a pool of blood.

"Well done."

"At one o'clock, there is a Japanese heavy machine gun position, 500 meters away."

Deputy Squad Leader Cui first praised the enemy, then quickly reported the location of the enemy's firing positions.

Duan Shutong immediately turned the 4x scope to look at the two o'clock position. The muzzle of the gun, which was wrapped with strips of cloth, also turned. Because the Japanese machine gunner's entire body was behind the heavy machine gun, with only half of his head sticking out, Duan Shutong missed the Japanese heavy machine gunner with his first shot and missed with his second shot as well.

Bullets were flying everywhere on the battlefield. The Japanese machine gunners were unaware that they were being targeted by snipers and were still suppressing fire.

Finally, on the third shot, Duan Shutong struck the Japanese machine gunner in the head, instantly blowing off the top of his head. (End of Chapter)