Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 306 The Door Opens
"boom!"

A deafening explosion instantly engulfed Nantian Youliang, along with the cold corpse of his comrade and the pine branches covering them.

Soil, gravel, flesh, and debris mixed with gunpowder and pine wood were thrown into the air by the force of the explosion, then fell back down, covering everything.

Deep within the crater, there was no sound, only the strong smell of blood and gunpowder permeating the rain.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the joint offensive forces of Shanxi militia and the Eighth Route Army were engaged in an extremely fierce battle with the remnants of the Japanese 36th Division, who were desperately defending their lines, at the second line of defense outside Taiyuan.

This offensive battle has lasted for three full days since the Taiyuan Campaign officially began on July 9.

The fierce battle on the second line of defense also lasted a bloody day.

Both sides paid a heavy price; every inch of land was soaked in blood and lives.

The Battle of Taiyuan, which began at 7:00 a.m. on July 9, was the first truly large-scale, traditional urban offensive and defensive battle between the Shanxi militia, the Eighth Route Army, and the Japanese army.

The brutality of this battle exceeded everyone's expectations.

The Japanese 36th Division, trapped in a desperate situation, is still putting up a stubborn resistance.

They fought desperately despite the casualties, and even after two regimental commanders were killed in action and the regimental flag, which symbolized the honor of the unit, was taken away by our army, they still did not give up.

They were like a pack of mad dogs cornered, using their most primal ferocity to fight against the torrent of steel.

In the open area surrounding the second line of defense, the remains of two Sherman tanks billowing black smoke, their twisted tracks, charred armor, and the corpses of Japanese soldiers and militiamen scattered around them all tell the story of the cruelty and brutality of this battle.

The second line of defense was the last line of defense outside Taiyuan City, and also the lifeline of the Japanese army.

Once this place is captured, the entire city of Taiyuan will be completely exposed to the guns of the Shanxi militia and the Eighth Route Army.

The allied forces also made astonishing sacrifices in order to break through this defensive line.

In less than four hours, the 2nd Battalion of the 6th Regiment lost one-third of its troops.

"boom!"

Another explosion rang out at close range, shaking the entire ground.

With a violent shockwave, a large amount of dust and thick smoke, mixed with rain and gravel, surged like a tidal wave into a makeshift command post built with low-lying trenches.

In the flooded trenches, Battalion Commander Xu Jingtang was sitting on an ammunition box.

Just now, a piece of shrapnel, from who-knows-where, grazed his scalp.

Although the medics accompanying the army had wrapped the wound with several layers of thick gauze, the bright red blood stubbornly continued to seep out from the gaps in the gauze, gradually staining the white gauze a shocking dark red, like a blood-red rose blooming on the snow.

"Cough cough... Commander... Commander!"

Xu Youjing's voice was hoarse from the smoke and dust and his anxiety. He covered his still bleeding forehead with one hand and gripped the telephone receiver tightly with the other, speaking in a hoarse voice.

"Commander... Due to the continuous heavy rain, the ground is muddy and slippery, making it impossible to deploy mortars, let alone use them."

Even if it were to be fired with difficulty, the shells would either sink into the mud and fail to explode, or splash up mud, completely failing to achieve their intended purpose!

He gasped for breath, the cold, wet rain and sweat mixed with blood streaming down his face, blurring his vision.

"Although our unit has now captured Guaizikou, the casualties of our troops have been heavy!"

Xu Youjing's voice carried a hint of weariness, "I hope you can send me a company of reinforcements so I can reorganize my forces and continue the attack!"

On the other end of the phone came the voice of Wu Qingyun, commander of the Sixth Infantry Regiment.

"Xu Youjing! We must keep going even with heavy casualties!" Wu Qingyun shouted from the other end of the phone.

"I know your casualties are heavy, but the Japanese casualties are not much less, and may even be greater than ours!"

"Don't forget what the commander said: perseverance is victory! As long as we can take this line of defense, the entire city of Taiyuan will be laid bare before us."

I hope you will carry forward the fighting spirit of the militia and completely take down this line of defense! I will personally recommend you to the Commander-in-Chief for commendation!

Wu Qingyun paused, his tone softening slightly, yet still carrying a hint of urgency and impatience.

"I just received news that the Eighth Route Army is making rapid progress and will likely capture the right flank position soon. We can't let them fall behind! Do you understand?!"

"Understood! Commander, I understand!"

Xu Youjing straightened his chest abruptly, "Rest assured, Commander... I will definitely take the remaining positions before nightfall! It's either success or death!"

"Good...good lad!" Wu Qingyun's voice carried a hint of relief, but his tone remained serious. "I'm waiting for your good news, Xu Youjing."

If you cannot take the position before dark, I will personally lead the rest of the regiment to take over for you.

"Don't blame me, Wu Qingyun, for not giving you face then!"

"Commander! You won't have that chance!"

Xu Youjing abruptly hung up the phone and slammed the receiver back onto its base with a loud bang.

He grabbed the Thompson submachine gun that was on the table. The cold metal gun had a heavy weight on it, and he felt the rough texture of the gun as if he could feel the anger about to erupt within him.

He turned abruptly and roared at the few remaining communications officers and guards in the command post.

"Notify all reserve personnel, pick up your weapons and follow me!"

…………

In a command post set up in a natural cave at the rear of the second line of defense, a group of Japanese soldiers were burning codebooks and other secret documents.

Deep inside the cave, Regimental Commander Iseki Ren of the 36th Division ordered the burning of the flags of the 223rd and 224th Regiments to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. It should be noted that the capture of the 222nd Regiment's flag by the Eighth Route Army two days prior had already caused him immense humiliation; had it not been for the ongoing battle, he would likely have been forced to commit seppuku by Shinotsuka Yoshio.

But it doesn't matter anymore. After today, the 36th Division will cease to exist. The Chinese army has launched an attack on the second line of defense from several directions. The regiments below have lost contact one after another. As the gunfire draws closer, defeat is inevitable. The 36th Division can be annihilated, but it must not be routed.

After making all the preparations, Iseki gathered more than sixty staff officers from the division headquarters in the basement. Standing with his left hand on his sword, Iseki addressed them with great enthusiasm: "You have overcome numerous difficulties, obeyed orders, and fought bravely against an enemy with overwhelming firepower and artillery superiority."

However, due to the enemy's tenacity and overwhelming numerical superiority, our defeat was inevitable.

But please, gentlemen, do not rush to commit seppuku. You should focus on killing the enemy and using the blood of the Chinese to wash away our shame! I beg you!

As soon as he finished speaking, Iseki bowed to the remaining forces of the 36th Division. The staff officers in the basement, holding guns, returned the salute. They understood that the final moment had arrived.

At 5:35 PM, outside Taiyuan City, inside the temporary command post of the Japanese 36th Division, a heavy sigh was followed by the complete severing of the telephone line. This meant that their only remaining connection to the outside world was the radio transmitter.

Division Commander Iseki Ren, this once spirited Imperial general, now wore a face etched with weariness and despair. He stared at the radio operator before him, his eyes filled with a resolute determination.

"A farewell telegram has been sent to Commander-in-Chief Yoshio Shinotsuka and the North China Area Army Headquarters!"

The radio operator's fingers flew across the key.

"Since the Chinese army attacked Taiyuan, the officers and soldiers of the 36th Division have fought bravely, which makes Iseki very gratified."

Our army fought many desperate battles against the enemy, which had an absolute material advantage in land and air. Facing the Chinese tanks, the officers and soldiers of the 36th Division launched countless human-bomb offensives with the determination to serve the Emperor, destroying many Chinese tanks and ultimately forcing the Chinese army to suffer heavy casualties. However, our army suffered heavy casualties and was no longer able to stop the Chinese army's offensive.

The Chinese army has now advanced to within 15 meters of the command post. The troops are out of ammunition and food. I have already carried out the ceremony of burning the military flag… I pray for the Empire's victory and peace… Farewell… Commander of the 36th Division, Iseki Ren, July 11, 7.

After sending this farewell telegram, Iseki Ren assembled the last reserve force of the 36th Division... They consisted of more than one hundred staff officers, guards, and signalmen, and were also the last remaining force of the division command.

"Long live the Emperor!"

Iseki Ren suddenly drew his command sword, let out a final roar, and led the charge out of the cave where they were hiding. However, they had barely rushed out of the cave and had not even had time to see the scene before them when they were fiercely enveloped by a terrifying barrage of machine guns, submachine guns, and mortars from the Shanxi militia.

"Da da da! Tu tu tu tu!"

Bullets rained down like a storm, and mortar shells exploded all around them.

At this moment, the Shanxi militia's assault team, led by Xu Youjing, had advanced to within fifty meters of the 36th Division's command post. Intense firepower instantly tore the Japanese soldiers who had rushed out of the cave to shreds.

"Whoosh..."

A stray bullet grazed Xu Youjing's neck, sending a burning pain through him. He didn't even have time to look closely; he just instinctively touched it and felt a burning sensation there, but no blood.

However, one of the guards following behind him was not so lucky. The bullet struck him precisely in the forehead. Without uttering a sound, the guard fell straight backward and crashed heavily into the mud. Blood gushed from a hole in his forehead, and his brains splattered all over the ground.

"Company Commander! Flank to the left! Use grenades! Charge in!" Xu Youjing disregarded the death of his guard, pressed his earpiece, and roared orders into the radio.

His eyes were fixed on the cave not far away, the last stronghold of the Japanese command post, and the target he had to capture that night.

Sudden……

To his astonishment, the Japanese soldiers who had been hiding in the cave like turtles, refusing to come out, were now charging towards them like madmen, bayonets in hand, disregarding everything.

These people's faces were filled with fanaticism and despair, like ghosts, without any order, just blindly rushing forward.

"Banzai!"

More than a hundred Japanese soldiers, brandishing their gleaming bayonets, roared hoarsely as they surged forward like a tidal wave.

Ignoring the dense hail of bullets, they charged desperately, attempting to intimidate the heavily armed Chinese soldiers with submachine guns using this primitive and desperate tactic. However, faced with overwhelming firepower, their "desperate counterattack" instantly devolved into a one-sided massacre.

"Rat-a-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat!"

The Thompson submachine gun and the M1919 machine gun spewed fire wildly, bullets raining down like a storm.

Japanese soldiers fell in droves like felled wheat, their flesh mangled and convulsing in the mud. Their bayonets hadn't even touched a single Chinese soldier's body before they were torn apart.

Under the barrage of bullets, the more than one hundred Japanese soldiers who launched the "suicide charge" were quickly wiped out, and their corpses filled the open space in front of the cave.

Looking at the corpses scattered all over the ground, Xu Youjing breathed a sigh of relief. This damned divisional command post had finally been taken down.

"Men, clean up the battlefield immediately. Search carefully and verify identities. Don't miss anything."

Soon, they found two unusual corpses among the pile of bodies.

"Sir, I've found a major general."

"Sir, there's a Japanese lieutenant general here!"

"Quickly verify their identities."

Xu Jingtang quickly took out several photos from his satchel and checked them. After a while, he nodded and said, "That's right. One is Lieutenant General Iseki Jin, commander of the 36th Division, and the other is Major General Imamura Shintaro, chief of staff."

"Good, report to the regimental commander immediately. Our unit has annihilated the 36th Division command post. No enemy soldier escaped. We killed Lieutenant General Iseki Jin, commander of the Japanese 36th Division, and Major General Imamura Shintaro, chief of staff."

They also seized his identification documents and a command knife, among other items.

With the complete annihilation of Iseki Ren and the 36th Division headquarters, the Japanese army's outer positions around Taiyuan were also declared completely lost.

The entire city of Taiyuan was now completely exposed to the Shanxi militia and the Eighth Route Army, like a turtle without its shell, at their mercy.

After receiving news that the second line of defense had been completely captured and that Division Commander Iseki Ren had been killed, cheers erupted in the joint command post in Wutai County.

The whole country was shaken, and everyone's attention was drawn to this place.

After receiving the telegram from Su Yaoyang and the Eighth Route Army, Yan Xishan finally realized that he had to take action, otherwise he might not have a chance after Taiyuan was liberated.

(End of this chapter)