Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 260 Fierce Battle on the Outskirts

The Bell Tower Command Post in Yichang City has now become a high-speed war heart.

Seven or eight telephones were scattered throughout the command post, ringing incessantly like urgent orders.

The dozen or so staff officers had long lost their usual composure. They were sweating profusely as they ran between the sand table and the map, loudly receiving, recording, and relaying the latest battle reports from every corner of the front line.

The air was thick with the tense smell of sweat, the strong smell of tobacco, and the faint scent of gunpowder drifting in from outside the window.

"Report! The left flank of position number three has been breached! Regimental Commander Huang Guantao requests artillery support!"

"The 1st Armored Regiment reports that their reconnaissance company has destroyed another Type 92 infantry gun, and the tracks of a Chaffee tank are damaged and are being repaired!"

"The observation post at the West Gate reports that a small Japanese unit is attempting to infiltrate through the paddy fields. The 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment is driving them away!"

Su Yaoyang sat right in the middle of this hustle and bustle. He sat on an ordinary wooden stool, his back ramrod straight, his face as stern as iron.

The booming cannon fire from outside the city, like dull drumbeats, relentlessly pounded on everyone's nerves, but he seemed oblivious, his eyes fixed on the huge, simple sand table in front of him.

Despite his seemingly dismissive attitude towards the approaching Sixth Division at the pre-battle mobilization meeting, Su Yaoyang's words were filled with unwavering confidence in victory.

But that was ultimately just something he said to others, meant to boost morale. In reality, Su Yaoyang's inner feelings were far from as relaxed as he appeared on the surface.

As a time traveler from the future, he understood better than anyone in this era what the words "Sixth Division" represented.

Historians and military enthusiasts of later generations have differing opinions on which division of the Japanese Army was the most powerful during World War II.

Some people admire the Second Division of Sendai, while others strongly support the Sixth Division of Kumamoto.

Regardless of the ranking, the 6th Division was undoubtedly the best of the best in the Japanese Army, an elite among elites. Its tenacious fighting spirit and superb tactical skills represented the pinnacle of the Japanese army.

The reason why the Sixth Division suffered such a heavy defeat in the Battle of Nanjing three years ago, losing almost half of its troops, was that Su Yaoyang, a guy who "lacked martial ethics," used sarin gas obtained from a matter converter at the most critical moment, catching the enemy off guard and thus managing to achieve that seemingly glorious victory.

But anyone who underestimates the reorganized 6th Division because of this would be making a huge mistake.

Now, as the Shanxi militia and the Sixth Division, eager for revenge, openly confronted each other in a head-on battle outside Yichang, Su Yaoyang immediately felt the suffocating pressure.

The battle reached a fever pitch from the very beginning.

The 6th Division demonstrated its extremely high level of tactical coordination.

They first used the Army Air Force's Zero fighter squadron to hold off Cheng Rufeng's pirate squadron, temporarily suppressing air superiority.

Immediately afterwards, the 6th Artillery Regiment under the division seized this precious window of opportunity and pushed all 36 of its Meiji Type 41 75mm field guns and more than a dozen Type 92 infantry guns to the front line, launching a fierce bombardment against the outermost defensive positions of the Shanxi militia.

In an instant, shells rained down, and the entire position was shrouded in the flames of explosions and the dust kicked up.

But the Shanxi militia is no longer what it used to be.

Faced with the Japanese artillery fire, Su Yaoyang showed no weakness and immediately ordered his artillery units to counterattack.

Two battalions of M101 105mm howitzers, manufactured by the material converter, deployed in the rear, let out a muffled roar.

These heavy artillery pieces, which completely outclassed the Japanese 75mm mountain guns in terms of range, power, and rate of fire, unleashed tons of steel and flames onto the Japanese artillery positions with overwhelming force.

The artillery of both sides, separated by several kilometers, engaged in a fierce and brutal exchange of fire. Shells flew crisscrossing through the air, exploding into clusters of deadly explosions on each other's positions.

The scene was extremely bloody from the very beginning.

An operations staff officer quickly walked to Su Yaoyang's side, his face showing anxiety.

After standing at attention and saluting, he pointed to the front-line positions on the sand table where his own side was being heavily bombarded and loudly suggested: "The artillery fire of the 6th Division is extremely fierce, and their gun positions are extremely scattered. It is difficult for the 105mm artillery battalion to lock onto them. I suggest that we immediately use all the strength of our artillery regiment."

"Move the remaining two 155mm howitzer battalions up there and aim them at the Japanese artillery positions for a decisive counterattack! Strive to annihilate their entire artillery regiment in one fell swoop!"

This staff officer's suggestion represented the thoughts of a considerable number of people in the command. In their view, since they had firepower superiority, they should not hesitate to use it and crush the enemy with overwhelming force.

However, after listening, Su Yaoyang simply shook his head slowly, his gaze remaining fixed on the sand table.

"No." His voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.

"But if we let the Japanese artillery fire continue, I'm afraid the casualties on the outer defense line will increase!" the operations staff officer said anxiously.

Su Yaoyang raised his head, glanced at him, and his eyes were extremely calm.

"I know."

He paused, then said in an unquestionable tone, "In war, there are always deaths. Order the artillery regiment and the two 155mm heavy artillery battalions to remain in ambush and on standby."

I believe the 105mm artillery battalion is sufficient to handle this Japanese artillery regiment.

Seeing that the staff officer wanted to say something more, another operations staff officer next to him gently tugged at him and shook his head.

Although the staff officer was puzzled, he could only helplessly salute and retreat.

Su Yaoyang knew, of course, that if he brought out the two battalions of M1 155mm howitzers now, with their longer range and more terrifying power, he would be very confident of wiping out the entire Japanese artillery regiment in a short time.

But he can't do that.

Revealing all your cards at the outset is a foolish thing only a gambler would do.

He wasn't a military genius, but he remembered Lin Biao's famous saying most clearly: No matter how smoothly the battle goes, you must always keep a reserve force in hand that you will never use unless absolutely necessary.

This reserve team is your source of confidence to turn the tide.

Although he wasn't a military genius, he always believed that if he didn't understand something or wasn't sure about it, he could always listen to the experts.

And now, his 155mm howitzer battalion is one of his "trump cards" for this major battle. It's far too early to use it.

The situation on the battlefield did indeed develop as Su Yaoyang had predicted.

The fierce artillery battle lasted for about half an hour.

In this pure contest of firepower, range, and rate of fire, the Japanese 6th Artillery Regiment was completely overwhelmed from start to finish by the Shanxi militia's 105mm howitzer battalion.

The Meiji Type 41 75mm field gun was far inferior to the M101 105mm howitzer in terms of both maximum range and shell power.

Most of the time, the Japanese artillery could only passively endure precision strikes from beyond their range. Their prized precision artillery skills appeared pale and powerless in the face of an absolute technological gap.

105mm shells kept whistling in, landing precisely on the Japanese artillery positions. The huge blast waves and flying shrapnel from the explosions sent the Type 41 mountain guns flying, and the Japanese artillerymen at their positions were torn to pieces in large groups.

Soon, after suffering heavy losses of more than a third of their artillery and nearly half of their personnel casualties, the commander of the Japanese artillery regiment could no longer bear the one-sided massacre. He reluctantly chose to cease fire and ordered the remaining artillery units to immediately move to a new position.

The silence of the Japanese artillery immediately triggered a chain reaction.

The Japanese infantrymen who were on the front lines, braving the machine gun fire of the Shanxi militia and preparing to launch an attack, suddenly discovered that the artillery support from the rear had been cut off.

They lost the cover of artillery fire and were completely exposed to the crossfire of the Shanxi militia. In an instant, the heavy machine guns, mortars, and rifles that had been prepared for a long time began to rain down bullets.

The attacking Japanese infantry fell in droves like felled wheat on the road to their charge, and the casualty figures rose sharply.

With the Japanese artillery silenced, the main players on the battlefield shifted back from the whistling shells to the flesh-and-blood infantry.

On the outskirts of Yichang, in a trench repeatedly ravaged by artillery fire and reinforced overnight by engineers, Zhang Wenshan was crouching behind a bunker, peeking out half his head and cautiously observing the area ahead through binoculars.

Through the lens, a hundred meters away, Japanese infantry were advancing towards them in a standard skirmish line, taking turns providing cover.

Their actions were very professional; there were always people moving around and always people providing fire support. They did not collapse at all despite losing artillery support.

"Don't rush to fire! Let the Japanese get closer before you shoot!"

Zhang Wenshan lowered the periscope and ordered the riflemen around him in a low voice, "No one is allowed to fire and waste bullets without my order!"

His soldiers were all veterans. Upon hearing this, they silently checked their M1 Garand rifles, then withdrew the muzzles from the firing ports and waited patiently.

Zhang Wenshan turned his head and gestured to the two BAR light machine gunners next to him.

"You two... Zhu Zi! Free fire! Call out my name! Move to a different spot after you finish a magazine, don't let the Japanese grenade launchers target you!"

"Okay, platoon leader!"

The two machine gunners chuckled and immediately rested the butts of their Browning Automatic Rifles (BARs) on their shoulders.

Although this weapon does not have the sustained firepower of a heavy machine gun, it is lightweight and flexible, and can be operated by one person, making it very suitable for guerrilla warfare in trenches.

"Da da da... da da da da..."

Two BAR light machine guns fired crisp, powerful bursts of fire in succession. The bullets swept precisely towards the moving Japanese soldiers. A Japanese soldier who was halfway out of a shell crater had two bursts of blood erupt from his chest and fell backward.

The Japanese formation was immediately disrupted, and several grenade launcher operators quickly lay down and began searching for the source of the BAR's fire.

But Er Lengzi and Zhu Zi had already crouched down and quickly moved to another shooting position more than ten meters away after firing a short burst.

Just as the Japanese army's attention was drawn to the two elusive light machine guns, Zhang Wenshan took a deep breath and shouted to the communications soldier behind him:

"Tell the company headquarters! I need heavy machine gun support! Coordinates: Demon Cave, Turn Three! Give them a good beating!"

The order was quickly transmitted to the heavy machine gun positions at the rear via telephone. The next second, the roar of death echoed throughout the entire position.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Three M2 Browning heavy machine guns, positioned on high ground in the rear, simultaneously unleashed a muffled and terrifying roar.

This sound was completely different from the tearing cloth sound of the Japanese army's "Type 92 heavy machine gun" or the "rat-a-tat-tat" sound; it was more like the heartbeat of a giant, each sound filled with destructive power.

12.7mm heavy machine gun bullets, with visible tracer, formed two intersecting, scorching fire whips that lashed fiercely at the Japanese army's attack route!
This was a completely unequal massacre.

When a bullet hits the ground, it kicks up a large cloud of dirt and grass; when it hits cover, it can pierce through sandbags.

And once it hits a human body... the soldier's body will be torn to pieces instantly, like a watermelon hit by a heavy hammer. Arms, thighs, and even the entire upper body will be ripped apart and thrown away by the terrifying kinetic energy.

The Japanese firepower appeared utterly pathetic and laughable under the absolute suppression of the M2 heavy machine gun.

They fought back desperately with their Type 38 rifles and Type 96 light machine guns, but the bullets only kicked up weak sparks and dust when they hit the fortifications reinforced by the Shanxi militia.

They were pinned to the spot, unable to even lift their heads. Any attempt to move or retaliate would immediately draw the brunt of those two deadly fire whips.

Zhang Wenshan coldly watched all this, seeing the once-fierce Japanese soldiers being slaughtered in droves under the heavy machine gun fire, the casualty figures rising rapidly at a visible pace. Just as the Japanese infantry were being pinned down by the powerful crossfire of the Shanxi militia, and the corpses piling up at the front lines, the balance of the battlefield was shattered by a sudden explosion.

"Boom! Boom!"

Several fireballs mixed with black smoke suddenly rose up on the friendly positions on the left!
Immediately afterward, a heart-wrenching shout was relayed among the soldiers in the trenches and quickly reached Zhang Wenshan's ears: "Platoon leader! Something bad has happened! Japanese tanks! Japanese tanks are approaching from the left!"

Zhang Wenshan's heart sank, and he immediately turned to look. He saw a dozen or so low-profile Type 97 medium tanks, painted in tan camouflage, billowing black smoke, rapidly charging towards the position at a slow but unstoppable pace!
As these steel behemoths charged, the short, stubby 57mm tank guns on their turrets fired incessantly, slamming shells into their own trenches and kicking up clouds of dust. The three 7.7mm machine guns on the tank hull and turret also spat out fire relentlessly. In an instant, the left flank, which had initially had superior firepower, was caught off guard and silenced.

"Heavy machine guns! Turn them around! Shoot the tanks!" a company commander roared.

The three M2 Browning heavy machine guns that were firing at the infantry in front immediately and laboriously turned their heavy guns around to aim at the charging Japanese tanks.

"dong dong dong dong..."

Amidst the muffled gunfire, the 12.7mm bullet belt swept wildly, slamming heavily into the frontal armor of the Type 97 tank.

However, a desperate scene happened.

Due to the distance and the haste, the machine gunners did not have time to change their armor-piercing rounds.

Ordinary machine gun bullets hitting the sloping armor of tanks only produce a series of dazzling sparks and a clanging sound, but they cannot cause any real damage to these tough, armored turtles.

Seeing this, the Japanese tank crews became even more arrogant. They seized the opportunity and used their tank guns to precisely pick off enemy soldiers.

"boom……"

A 57mm shell accurately hit a heavy machine gun position. The violent explosion sent the precious M2 heavy machine gun and its two gunners flying into the air, turning them into a cloud of flying flesh and steel parts.

In the blink of an eye, several heavy machine guns were destroyed. Without the suppression of heavy firepower, the left flank was on the verge of being torn open with a huge gap.

"Anti-tank rifle... anti-tank rifle..." someone shouted.

Just as Zhang Wenshan was extremely anxious and had even drawn his pistol, preparing to lead his men to fight desperately with cluster grenades, an even more powerful and robust engine roar came from behind them!

The earth began to tremble!
A dozen M4 Sherman tanks, much larger and more imposing than the Type 97 tanks, emerged from the reserve positions at the rear, their tracks churning and kicking up clouds of dust! It was the 2nd Armored Battalion, which had just been resupplyed with ammunition, that had arrived just in time!
"It's our tank!" The soldiers in the trenches erupted in a deafening cheer.

John's crew was among the reinforcements. Through the periscope, he looked at the Type 97 tanks, which he saw as inferior toys, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.

"Gunner! Target directly ahead, enemy tank! Armor-piercing round, one round loaded!"

"Loading complete!"

"Six hundred meters away, fire!"

"boom……"

The Sherman tank's long 76mm main gun suddenly retracted, and an armor-piercing shell, traveling at supersonic speeds and leaving a faint trail, accurately struck the front of the turret of the foremost Type 97 tank.

There is no suspense.

The thin armor of the Type 97 tank is as fragile as paper in the face of high-speed armor-piercing projectiles.

The warhead easily penetrated the tank and detonated the ammunition inside.

The next second, the turret of the Type 97 tank was blown into the air by the huge internal explosion, spinning as it fell, while the hull turned into a huge, blazing torch.

This is just the beginning.

The Sherman tank group, facing off against the Japanese tanks, was a one-sided technological massacre.

"Target locked... Fire!"

"Fire!"

With each muffled blast of artillery fire, one Type 97 tank after another was precisely targeted, destroyed, or detonated.

The Japanese tank crews were horrified to discover that their 57mm shells, when hitting the frontal armor of the Sherman tanks, would mostly bounce off helplessly, while enemy shells could easily send them to their deaths.

After just a few minutes of fighting, the Japanese tank battalion abandoned more than a dozen burning and exploding tank wrecks. The remaining few tanks, no longer caring about Bushido, turned around in a panic and fled in disarray.

After the Japanese tanks withdrew, the armored battalion did not give up but launched a counter-offensive against the Japanese.

If it were an ordinary Japanese army, they would probably have collapsed long ago upon seeing the tank formation charging towards them, but the Japanese troops of the 6th Division were even more frenzied.

One by one, Japanese soldiers carrying explosive packs rushed out from their hiding places, attempting to take down the Sherman tanks together.

"Fire...fire...don't let those Japanese monkeys get close to our tanks, damn it, No. 356, are you all blind?" Hoddle cursed loudly into the radio.

Explosive charges kept exploding around them, and the violent explosions were even unbearable for Hoddle inside the tank.

After being cured of his tuberculosis and discharged from the hospital, he became the company commander of the 1st Company of the 2nd Armored Regiment.

Now, he is leading his company at the very front of the column.

His gaze moved rapidly through the narrow field of view of the periscope, capturing every fleeting detail on the battlefield.

Suddenly, he shouted, "Loader! Switch to high-explosive shells! Prepare to bombard the hillside two hundred meters to the right. I suspect there are Japanese grenade launchers there!"

Having been in China for nearly half a year, Hoddle can now pronounce the three words "little devils" clearly and accurately.

"Roger!" came the loader's muffled reply through the headset.

The driver, maneuvering the tank, smashed a crumbling earthen wall to pieces with a brutal and ruthless manner.

Stones and mounds of earth were as fragile as biscuits before the steel body of the tank.

The tracks rapidly rolled over a Japanese soldier who had just been shot down by a coaxial machine gun, instantly crushing his still-warm body into an unrecognizable mass of flesh mixed with fragments of his uniform.

Hoddle, who happened to witness this scene, gritted his teeth and cursed, "Oh... damn Li Xiaoming, can't you be a little gentler when you drive the tank? Don't make it so bloody... ugh..."

Although Hoddle had seen such bloody scenes many times, he still couldn't get used to them.

"Company commander!"

Suddenly, the voice of gunner Wang Dazhu came through the headset. His voice trembled slightly from the vibrations of the tank, but his tone was unusually calm: "Don't overthink it. There's no point in reasoning with these beasts. Just crush them."

Look at Commander John, this kind of thing has absolutely no effect on him.

"Damn it, don't mention that bastard in front of me," Hoddle cursed. "Do you know what this guy used to do? He carried corpses. No wonder he's not interested." Hoddle had a great deal of disdain for this old comrade-in-arms he had known for decades.

He simply forgot to change the channel, and his words were broadcast almost throughout the entire company via the public channel. Soon, low laughter could be heard over the radio.

Wang Dazhu, probably being rather stubborn, continued to explain earnestly.

"Company commander... those Japanese devils aren't human, they're just a bunch of mad dogs."

Trying to reason with a mad dog will only make it bite harder. The only way is to beat it to death with a thicker stick.

Our tanks are our thickest sticks.

Simple yet bloody truths often have a greater impact on people's hearts than any lengthy explanation.

Hoddle paused for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. Yes, on such a bloody and cruel battlefield, to contemplate philosophy and humanity was inherently foolish.

Suddenly, in that instant of distraction, a deadly glint of light flashed from the machine gun emplacement on his right front, which had been reduced to a mere frame by an explosion!
"boom……"

With a deafening roar, the Sherman tank Hoddle was riding in lurched to the left! An armor-piercing projectile struck the side of the tank's turret at a tricky angle!

The tank's armor was not penetrated, but the terrifying kinetic energy was almost entirely transmitted into the vehicle's interior.

The entire vehicle emitted a tooth-grinding metallic groan, sparks flying everywhere at the point of impact! Inside the vehicle, everyone was stunned by the immense force, and Hoddle's head slammed hard against the rubber ring of the periscope, his vision filled with stars.

"Enemy attack! Anti-tank gun! Three o'clock! On that ruined position!"

Hoddle practically roared it out, his previous philosophical contemplation instantly vanishing under the rush of adrenaline.

"Damn it!"

The driver cursed angrily and instinctively tried to turn the vehicle around.

"Don't move! Stay facing forward!"

Hoddle roared to stop him, and at the same time ordered the gunner, "Big Pillar! Turn the turret! Three o'clock! Bomb that ruin!"

"understand!"

Wang Dazhu also recovered from the shock. He quickly turned the turret traverse mechanism, and the heavy 76mm gun barrel, filled with a vengeful rage, pointed at the pile of ruins that held the threat of death.

"Target locked!"

"Fire!"

"Boom..."

The Sherman tank's main gun roared deafeningly! A high-explosive shell, trailing a crimson contrail, precisely pierced the ruins.

The next second, the entire ruins seemed to be crushed from the inside by an invisible giant hand.

The violent explosion completely destroyed the already fragile structure. Stones, clods of earth, various parts, and human remains were thrown into the sky by the huge fireball, and then collapsed with a crash, burying the anti-tank gun position and the Japanese soldiers inside alive under the ruins.

Hoddle covered his buzzing ears, looked through the periscope at the razed ruins, and exhaled a long breath of stale air reeking of gunpowder.

Faced with the relentless advance of the tank battalion, the 13th Regiment, tasked with the main attack, finally could not hold out any longer and ceased its assault in an attempt to retreat.

But Hoddle wasn't about to let them off so easily.

"Sir, the sentries at the front report that the Japanese have retreated!"

Upon receiving the infantry's report, Hoddle said without hesitation, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry up and kick their asses!"

"understand!"

"By the way... let the infantry follow as well. If we don't have infantry to protect our flanks, we'll easily suffer heavy losses."

(End of this chapter)