Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 185 Wu Wanli Burns the Valleys!
Anshan Pass ambush area, enemy forward command post

"Wanli, the radios have been distributed to all squads, and all units have been deployed according to your plan. We're just waiting for the main American force to charge in!"

"The Anshan defense zone is defended by our Steel Seventh Battalion, supplemented by a regiment of South Korean troops who defected!"

"The fire support units include Lei Gong's 75mm mountain gun company and Han Qiyi's howitzer battalion."

"With this firepower configuration, it could probably hold out for ten days, let alone two!"

Liu Hanqing reported confidently.

"How's the Han River defense line? Nothing went wrong, right?"

Wu Wanli nodded slightly and asked.

"The defense line at the Han River ferry crossing will be temporarily commanded by Comrade Wu Qianli, with Quan Douguang and Mei Sheng assisting him."

"It has three battalions under its command, plus five battalions of South Korean defector troops to assist it, and an artillery regiment of South Korean defector troops to provide fire support!"

"Only a guard platoon and a South Korean army battalion remained in Seoul as reserves, temporarily carrying a large number of anti-aircraft machine guns and stationed near the airport."

"Wanli, don't worry too much. Our light firepower has been greatly enhanced by the US military. We are still the defenders with the terrain advantage, so holding the line shouldn't be a big problem."

Liu Hanqing said.

"With limited manpower, this is the only way to deploy them..."

"It's not that the problem is minor, but we must hold our ground and wait for the rendezvous, otherwise the main force of the more than 200,000 Chinese People's Volunteer Army, which has run out of food and ammunition, will be in danger."

Wu Wanli raised his binoculars, observed the distance for a while, and then spoke.

"Oh, right, a new telegram has arrived from higher up!"

"Comrade Wu Wanli led his troops to encircle and annihilate the US airborne regiment, severely damaging the US air force formation. He has made great contributions and is hereby promoted to deputy commander of the First Assault Regiment!"

"The entire Seventh and Third Battalions of the Steel Company have performed outstandingly, fighting bravely against the enemy, and are hereby awarded a collective second-class merit!"

"A telegram has been sent to the entire army to commend Comrade Wu Wanli and his Seventh and Third Steel Battalions!"

"Wanli, you're now a deputy regimental-level officer, one foot already in the ranks of mid-to-high-ranking officers, and you'll definitely be even higher when reinforcements are available after the war!"

Liu Hanqing congratulated him with a smile.

"It is an honor, and I will not let down the promotion and cultivation of my superiors and the Party organization."

"By the way, did you show the South Korean troops all the prisoners and corpses of those American paratroopers?"

Wu Wanli smiled and said.

"Some of the bodies were taken away, and American prisoners of war were also taken to the front line. This was a really good move. The morale of those South Korean soldiers was indeed different after they saw it."

Liu Hanqing said.

"However, the soldiers of the 1st Regiment of the Anshan defense line don't need these. As long as the flag of the 7th Steel Battalion and you are here, the soldiers will never have the thought of retreating."

Huang Yongshi, the commander of the First Regiment of the Uprising, saluted and approached to say something.

"The battle ahead will be brutal, but we must hold on."

Wu Wanli looked at Huang Yongshi and said.

"Don't worry, Commander Wu, I know best that most of us have no way out."

"I've assembled a special task force to oversee the operation. Anyone who dares to run away will be shot on sight!"

A fierce glint flashed in Huang Yongshi's eyes as he spoke.

"After the battle, I will recommend you for commendation by the Volunteer Army Command. You don't need to worry about what happens next; just focus on fighting."

Wu Wanli nodded and made his promise.

"loyalty!"

Huang Yongshi felt a surge of warmth in his heart, gave a trusting salute, and then turned and walked to the position below.

"Report to the commander-in-chief!"

"A helicopter is already parked in an open area not far from Anshan Pass, ready to take off at any time!"

"The convoy is already parked not far from the Anshan Pass, with plenty of fuel, and is ready to start at any time."

"In addition, the air force formation has been fully fueled and is ready to take off at any time. We are now inquiring about the latest combat mission!"

At this moment, Pinghe rushed over with a telegram and said...

"Great! That way, the speed of the support to the Han River will be guaranteed."

"As for the Air Force, all of them should take off and come to Anshan to assist in the ambush of the American troops here."

Wu Wanli looked at the Iron Heart Sky Eye map in his mind and said.

According to the Sky Eye map, the newly added US Air Force has been divided into two groups, which are supporting US forces in Anshan and Hanjiang respectively.

The US Air Force formation on the Han River consisted of eighty bombers and one hundred and twenty fighters.

The Anshan formation consisted of fifty bombers and fifty fighters.

The Chinese Air Force has only a little over a hundred fighter jets, most of which are fighters, but they can only defeat the US Air Force formation at Anshan or barely hold off the US Air Force formation at Hanjiang.

Adhering to the idea that it's better to break one finger than to injure ten, Wu Wanli decided to adopt the strategy of Tian Ji's horse racing to gain an advantage.

"Wanli, if all the air force is deployed to Anshan, the pressure on the Han River will be particularly high."

"Putting everything else aside, even the artillery units dare not fire easily, otherwise they will be wiped out by the US Air Force in no time."

"Moreover, the combat effectiveness of the Third Battalion is not as good as that of the Seventh Steel Battalion, and the defense of the Han River crossing is too difficult."

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanqing quickly offered some words of advice.

"Hanqing, based on the enemy telegrams we intercepted and the intelligence provided by our superiors, the US forces on the Anshan battlefield will probably have one main regiment, while the US forces on the Han River will probably have two main regiments."

"If we disperse our defense proportionally, the final result will probably be heavy casualties, and we will eventually have to retreat to the Seoul city area."

"Even in an ideal scenario, it would take a Pyrrhic victory to hold on."

"To put it bluntly, can we really expect the South Korean troops who defected to the front to fight to the last man?"

"But if we can severely damage the American troops attacking Anshan, and then send troops to support the Han River defense line, this battle might be fought very well."

Wu Wanli thought for a moment and then said.

"The US forces attacking Anshan number at least three or four thousand. It will be difficult for us to inflict heavy losses on them..."

Liu Hanqing said.

"The most important thing is to take out their artillery units, defeat their elite troops, and then seal the mountain pass with the prepared boulders."

"In this situation, leaving a small number of troops equipped with heavy firepower for defense would be enough to hold off the remaining American light infantry."

"The extra troops can be sent to support the Han River crossing."

Wu Wanli thought for a moment and then said.

"That's true. Without artillery and elite assault troops, the US light infantry were basically blocked outside Anshan Pass."

"And judging from the distance, they simply have no way to get around to the Han River ferry to support the attack."

Liu Hanqing nodded and said.

"Report to the commander-in-chief!"

"We've distributed all the gasoline cans; we're guaranteed to burn these American devils to ashes!"

Yu Congrong said.

"The wind direction is also correct."

"We have the advantage of favorable timing, location, and popular support; we are 70% confident of winning the Battle of Anshan."

"Telegram to Comrade Wu Qianli and Quan Douguang Kaka: The Han River ferry crossing must be held, awaiting our support!"

Wu Wanli stretched out his hand, feeling the direction of the wind and snow on the mountain, and felt reassured.

"Yes!"

Yu Congrong quickly agreed.

"Report to the commander-in-chief!"

"The US 1st Regiment is approaching, with a tank company at the front and the artillery units probably hidden at the rear!"

At this moment, Gao Daxing hurriedly went to report.

"So fast?"

"It arrived an hour earlier than expected!"

Liu Hanqing glanced at his watch and exclaimed in surprise.

"It's a good thing that the Anshan battlefield was attacked earlier!"

"This battle is the turning point of the entire Battle of Seoul. We can only win, we cannot afford to lose!"

"You all go back to your posts and take command. All units must maintain open communication and follow my orders!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli immediately gave the order.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong and the others quickly agreed.

Soon, the vanguard tank company of the US military came into view.

Following behind was a long convoy of infantry, and then artillery units.

Meanwhile, US Air Force formations circled overhead, occasionally strafing and reconnaissance the hills on both sides.

The soldiers on both sides of the hilltop gripped their guns tightly, their eyes fixed on the ground below.

"Company commander, a comrade and several South Korean soldiers who defected were all killed by this!"

"I'm so frustrated, can't I even start the fire?"

Deputy Company Commander Lei Zhen clenched his fists and said angrily in a low voice.

"I'm even more frustrated than you are, but I have to wait for the commander-in-chief's orders and can't expose myself."

Yu Congrong frowned as he spoke.

"Eh!"

Lei Zhen slammed his fist on the ground and sighed helplessly.

Not only them, but all the troops remained silent, waiting quietly for Wu Wanli's orders.

In the temporary command post, radio operators, translators, and communications soldiers surrounded Wu Wanli, waiting to coordinate with him to relay orders.

Wu Wanli opened the Sky Eye Map and waited anxiously.

He was waiting for the US troops to fully enter the ambush zone, and also for the air force to arrive.

Before long, the Chinese Air Force was finally about to arrive at the battlefield, and the US troops were fully inside the ambush zone.

"it's time!"

Wu Wanli raised the signal gun and fired it into the sky.

"call out----"

With a piercing shriek, a red signal flare tore through the gloomy sky, its blinding light leaving a streak of bright red in the valley.

"Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump..."

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

Suddenly, countless tongues of fire erupted from the mountain ridges on both sides. The soldiers of the 7th Steel Battalion lifted the camouflage of withered branches and snow, and the crossfire network of light and heavy machine guns swept towards the American troops like the scythe of death.

Before the large number of American soldiers in the ambush could react, they were hit by concentrated fire and died on the spot.

The first round of firepower resulted in over 300 American casualties.

The surviving American soldiers immediately disembarked and sought advantageous cover, preparing to fight back.

The US tank units at the forefront pointed their guns at the positions on the mountains on both sides, preparing to fire and suppress the enemy.

Anshan artillery position

"Bombard it fiercely according to the preset parameters!"

"The commander-in-chief said that we can ignore the other American troops for now, but the American tanks must be destroyed immediately!"

Lei Gong waved his command flag and roared loudly.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army and the South Korean uprising troops below loaded their shells into the gun barrels and fired them in unison towards the American tanks.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

After a series of muffled thuds, shells from mountain guns and howitzers hurtled toward the American tanks with graceful arcs.

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

A violent explosion rang out, and bursts of fire erupted around the tank.

Some of the shells landed near the American tanks, and the shrapnel from the explosions damaged the tracks, rendering the tanks immobile.

Some of the missiles hit the tank's vulnerable top armor, destroying the American tanks.

Before long, only half of the US military's tanks remained in good working order.

On the command vehicle behind US troops

"Fuck!"

"These Chinese are too arrogant. They dare to expose all their artillery and bombard us before their air force has even arrived?"

"Order the air force formation to ignore the rest of the volunteer troops and destroy the Chinese artillery positions!"

The US Army commander roared angrily.

"Yes, sir!"

The US military staff below quickly agreed.

Soon, the US Air Force troops swarmed together and accelerated toward the artillery position where Lei Gong was located.

“Buzz buzz buzz buzz——”

In an instant, the roar of fighter jets could be heard.

However, just as the US Air Force was about to bomb the artillery positions, the Chinese Air Force arrived just in time.

……

Inside the Wanli-1 fighter jet
"No wonder the commander-in-chief has such great courage to send all the air force to Anshan."

"So it turns out the US Air Force is at a disadvantage here!"

"Comrades, the time has come for the Party and the people to test us!"

"Fight to the death in the skies, serve your country, follow me and kill!"

After quickly assessing the strength of the opposing US Air Force, Wang Wei pulled the control stick and charged towards the US fighter jet, shouting loudly.

Soon, the fighter jet formations from both China and the United States collided.

Many US bombers had already broken away from combat escort and were just diving down when they saw the Chinese Air Force arrive. They hurriedly pulled up, but it was too late.

In the first round of engagements, more than a dozen US warplanes were shot down by the Chinese Air Force, putting them at a disadvantage in terms of morale.

US military command vehicle
"Sir, our air force is no match for the Chinese air force. They are now requesting to withdraw and preserve their strength!"

The U.S. military chief of staff said.

"Conserve your strength?"

"Those several thousand men are finished!"

"Tell them, even if it means stalling, at least hold off the Chinese Air Force for a while!"

"The current situation is very bad for us. Order the 1st Battalion to organize an attack on the left hilltop, the 2nd Battalion to organize an attack on the right hilltop, and the 3rd Battalion to provide fire support!"

"Artillery and tanks, aim at the Chinese army's firing positions and blast them all to smithereens!"

The US Army commander frowned and quickly said.

“Sir, the Chinese army occupies advantageous terrain, and our air force is no match for them. Perhaps we should retreat for the time being, preserve our strength, and regroup before coming back.”

"After all, we have a significant numerical advantage in our troops. Even if we suffer some losses, a rapid retreat will still leave us with enough threatening forces."

Upon hearing this, the US Chief of Staff hesitated for a moment before offering his advice.

"Shit!"

"We absolutely cannot retreat now; retreating now will lead to a rout!"

"Tell them to fight to the death and take the Chinese army's position. They don't have many of them; they are mainly South Korean troops!"

"As long as we charge forward, those South Korean troops will surely collapse, and we can turn the tide of the battle!"

The US Army commander shook his head and said firmly.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon hearing this, the US Chief of Staff could only reluctantly agree.

……

Anshan Front Command

"These American soldiers aren't leaving; they're even thinking of counterattacking?"

"Fine! I was worried they'd preserve their strength and slip away, which would give me a headache because I wouldn't dare send troops to support them. Since that's the case, then they can forget about leaving!"

"Tell all units to reduce firepower first, let them get halfway up, then give them a good beating!"

"After firing one round, immediately roll the prepared gasoline barrels and boulders down!"

"Artillery units should quickly eliminate the US tank forces, then switch to white phosphorus incendiary bombs and prepare to bombard the US infantry!"

"Let's take advantage of this wind direction and set the valley ablaze!"

Looking at the movements of the US military on the Sky Eye map, Wu Wanli immediately spoke.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, the communications soldier quickly responded.

(End of this chapter)