Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 261 The battle should end!

West bank of the river at Songaksan
"Are the artillery units ready?"

"How many of the reinforcements Miller sent are combat-ready?"

Brigadier General Harrison lowered his binoculars, a barely perceptible hint of anxiety in his eyes behind the lenses.

"Sir, the artillery barrage is fully prepared; almost all of the artillery has been deployed to support us!"

"Not only that, but large quantities of ammunition are being shipped from the port, and Lieutenant General Thomas has given us the freedom to fire!"

"As for Brigade Commander Miller's side, they should only have three or four thousand men who can fight, after all, they suffered too many losses in the amphibious landing operation."

"That's what the chief of staff of the U.S. Sixth Brigade said."

"Go ahead and fry it! Let's fry it for an hour first!"

"Let the air force and artillery bomb together and flatten all the Chinese army's defensive fortifications."

Brigadier General Harrison took a deep breath and said.

“Sir, they have a lot of anti-aircraft firepower, and due to altitude, their artillery range is also longer than ours.”

"Moreover, it can be felt from the previous battles that the Chinese army has extremely strong espionage and reconnaissance capabilities."

"They may even have used suicide sentries, so our artillery cannot be brought within range of their artillery positions."

"The air force could not be like the Japanese kamikaze pilots, recklessly charging into their dense anti-aircraft fire regardless of casualties."

"After all, it would be too much of a loss to exchange a large number of fighter jets and pilots for China's artillery and artillery."

Upon hearing this, the chief of staff of the 6th Brigade of the United States immediately spoke up.

"After all that talk, isn't the point that Chinese artillery positions have a long range and strong anti-aircraft firepower, making them difficult to attack?"

"Then just bombard everything except their artillery positions."

"I don't believe their air defenses can cover the entire Songaksan Mountain."

"Their artillery range couldn't possibly be so great that we couldn't bomb all parts of Songaksan."

"Bomb them as hard as you can. Once you destroy those fortifications and storm up, their artillery positions will be captured by the army."

Brigadier General Harrison looked at the battle map and gave the order.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon hearing this, the chief of staff of the 6th Brigade of the United States immediately agreed.

Soon, the order for bombardment reached the US artillery and carrier air groups.

........................

Above Songaksan Mountain

"Buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz————"

The sharp roar of the engine, enough to pierce eardrums, first tore through the silence of the sky.

The massive swarm of carrier-based aircraft taking off from the aircraft carrier resembled a swarm of locusts, obscuring the sunlight.

They roared and swooped down with the determination that Lieutenant General Thomas had given his all.

The next instant, a barrage of aerial bombs detached from their racks and hurtled down on the ground.

A tremendous explosion resounded throughout the world, and mushroom-shaped plumes of smoke, a mixture of mud, gravel, charred wood, and twisted metal, shot into the sky.

The earthworks, observation posts, and barbed wire positions on the hillside were instantly torn to shreds by the first wave of precise strikes, and the raging fire spread rapidly.

American ground artillery followed closely with a salvo, hundreds of heavy guns roaring deafeningly.

"call out----------"

The shells streaked across the sky like a deadly meteor shower, crashing heavily onto the ridges and slopes of Songaksan Mountain with sharp, piercing sounds.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..."

One shell after another exploded violently, turning large areas of the ground, along with all the defensive structures attached to them, into charred craters.

The entire Songaksan Mountain seemed to be being hammered by the gods, groaning and trembling amidst continuous, terrifying tremors.

The shockwave from the explosion was like an invisible giant hammer, sweeping across the ridges and slopes time and time again.

Shrapnel and fragments, carried by the shockwave, flew wildly in all directions like a deadly hail of bullets.

Firelight and smoke dyed the sky red, and the explosions sounded like rolling thunder.

The surface of Songyue Mountain was almost completely reshaped in just a few tens of minutes.

However, the scene inside the deeper tunnel fortresses was quite different.

Tree Fort Command Post
"Master Gao, the commander-in-chief Kaka's early construction of the Nantianmen fortification was a great success."

"The American troops bombed for a long time, but they were really just scraping the surface of simple fortifications."

"Our people are hiding in tunnels and fortifications carved out of the mountains."

"Their artillery fire won't do us much harm, it'll just make the air a bit stuffy."

Lu Taijian, commander of the First Division, said with a smile.

"That's for sure!"

"How could our commander-in-chief, who personally ordered the fortifications, not have taken into account the heavy artillery of the US military?"

"Fortunately, the commander-in-chief made an early prediction and correctly guessed the American devils' Inchon landing."

"Otherwise, we really wouldn't have had time to dig such a fortification."

Upon hearing this, Gao Daxing said with a hint of pride in his heart.

"Teacher Gao, it's Commander Wu calling!"

At this moment, a staff officer from the Chinese People's Volunteer Army rushed over and said this.

"Just tell me straight, what did the commander-in-chief instruct?"

Gao Daxing rubbed his tired eyes and said.

"The commander-in-chief specifically instructed that a fire support battalion with more than one hundred machine guns be prepared."

"After the US bombing ends, they will be deployed through tunnels to form the first line of defense."

"There's no need to rush to stop the US troops when they cross the river. Wait until they're crowded on the river before unleashing a barrage of fire!"

The volunteer army staff officer looked at the telegram and spoke slowly.

"More than a hundred machine guns were pressed against the first line of defense?"

"That's more than half of our machine gun firepower."

"What if something unexpected happens? What about the second and third lines of defense?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Taijian scratched his head and asked.

"What do you mean by first defense, second defense, and third defense? Commander Lu hasn't fought enough tunnel warfare; he still has a traditional defensive mindset."

"The Nantianmen fortifications, which were built under the guidance of the commander-in-chief, connected almost all the defense points with tunnels."

"In other words, our troops can move to any point and any line."

"In this situation, the maximum firepower is achieved without fixed first or second defense."

Gao Daxing smiled and realized what he meant.

"The commander-in-chief is brilliant; his considerations are extremely thorough!"

"I bet they even came up with the current combat plans in advance. I'm impressed."

Upon hearing this, Lu Taijian's eyes flashed with shock, and he praised him with great admiration.

He really had no experience in tunnel warfare; he rose to power entirely through his loyalty to Quan Douguang and Wu Wanli.

He hadn't fought many battles in the South Korean army before, and all of them were defeats. After the uprising, he had only ever played a subordinate role.

"No, my military skills are still somewhat lacking."

"Besides studying, we need to stick close to Quan Kaka and Wu Kaka; absolute loyalty is the only way!"

"As long as we keep up with Commander Wu and Quan Kaka, what battle merit can't we accumulate?!"

Lu Taijian straightened his collar and sighed inwardly.

"Commander Lu, is there anything else you'd like to add?"

Gao Daxing listened to the still-howling sound of artillery fire and asked slowly.

"No changes are needed. My soldiers and I will absolutely obey Commander Wu's orders!"

"loyalty!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Taijian immediately stood at attention and said.

"it is good!"

"Then let's go down and make the deployment according to the commander-in-chief's orders."

Upon hearing this, Gao Daxing waved his hand and said.

"Yes!"

The volunteer army staff officer immediately agreed.

....................................

After the US bombardment ended, the ground at Songaksan Mountain finally returned to calm after continuous massive tremors.

Thick smoke, obscuring the sky, slowly rose and spread, leaving behind a scarred, charred, and twisted mountain surface.

On the distant river, the water was stained a murky brown.

"Damn, it's finally over...looks like it worked pretty well!"

"Lieutenant Colonel Luke!"

"You will lead two battalions as the vanguard to cross the river! Immediately!"

"Those rubber boats that were brought in from the port can now be put to use."

Brigadier General Harrison raised his binoculars again, observed the scene, and gave a satisfied smile before issuing the order.

At this moment, he imagined his soldiers stepping onto the other side and easily occupying that seemingly lifeless scorched earth.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon hearing this, Lieutenant Colonel Luke immediately agreed.

As soon as the order was given, two battalions of American soldiers, about a thousand men, rushed to the temporary crossing point on the riverbank.

The soldiers carefully waded into the icy river or boarded swaying rubber boats.

The brief silence was soon broken by the splashing sound of American soldiers wading through the water.

The river surface was suddenly filled with gray figures and ferries.

Initially, the crossing of the river went exceptionally smoothly.

The hillside on the opposite bank, which had just undergone purgatory, remained silent.

Only the embers of the fire flickered in the wisps of smoke, seemingly confirming Harrison's judgment—the Chinese army's defensive capabilities had been "scraped flat."

"Look, Sir! They're completely powerless to fight back! Your decision was right!"

"The Chinese are delusional to think they can defeat us with those North Korean troops. Dream on!"

The officer at the ferry crossing reported the progress to Harrison, his voice tinged with excitement.

More American soldiers and boats surged into the river, vying to be among the first to reach the other side, and the crossing point quickly became overcrowded.

Harrison stared intently at the river, his lips pressed tightly together, a slight weight lifted from his heart.

He could almost see the Stars and Stripes being planted on Songyue Mountain, and the vanguard company of the advance troops already approaching the center of the river.

But in an instant, without warning, a continuous, dense, and deadly flash of fire erupted on the silent opposite bank! Like countless whips of death, they lashed out at the crowded river surface!

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

“Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump…………”

A crossfire network of over a hundred light and heavy machine guns erupted instantly, covering the entire river crossing area!
The gunshots were no longer sporadic and crisp, but rather a dull and oppressive sound like rolling thunder, and a dense and violent tearing sound like a sudden storm!
It was the firepower brigade that Wu Wanli had requested to be deployed in advance that, using the perfect tunnel connection, instantly moved to each of the pre-set concealed firing positions!
The timing was perfect!

Just as the main force of the US vanguard was completely exposed on the wide, unobstructed river, with ships crowded together and unable to maneuver!

The calm river surface was instantly ripped into countless white streaks! Those were the marks left by bullets slicing through the water at high speed!

Immediately afterwards, blood, mixed with fragments of the shattered rubber boat and severed limbs, exploded on the river surface like flowers from hell!

"Damn it! Machine guns! Intense firepower!"

Harrison's terrified voice was drowned out by the deafening roar of gunfire.

He watched helplessly as the assault boats that were moving forward just a second ago were instantly riddled with holes, and the people on board were torn apart and thrown away like rags!
Soldiers attempting to swim across fell in droves, tumbling and disappearing in the icy river, leaving only bubbling, blood-red bubbles as proof of their existence.

"Take cover! Get under cover! Damn it, we've been ambushed!"

The troops crossing the river were filled with desperate screams and cries of agony.

But where can one find cover on the bare river?

The thin hull is like paper in the face of the steel torrent!
The bullets struck the hull of the ship, making a splashing sound as they entered the water, and produced a dull tearing sound when they hit a human body!
The blood mist spread rapidly, and the wide river surface turned into a boiling slaughterhouse in just a few dozen seconds!

Subsequent ships attempting to provide reinforcements were forced to make emergency turns, run aground on the shore, or were sunk, blocking the waterway.

The American soldiers who fell into the water struggled in vain before being swept to the bottom of the river by the dense barrage of fire.

The few soldiers who managed to climb ashore were also eliminated one by one by sniper fire from a distance.

Harrison's binoculars began to shake violently.

The light reflected in the lens was no longer the dawn of victory, but hell on earth.

The boats capsized and burned, turning the river water a nauseating purplish-brown, and floating corpses blocked parts of the waterway.

The surviving American soldiers huddled in terror among the floating wreckage or in the dead corners of the shore, screaming helplessly.

"Mommy, I want to go home!!!"

"The Chinese people are invincible!"

"I'm not fighting anymore! I don't want to die in this damned Far East!"

……

A small number of young American soldiers broke down in a pathetic state and started shouting.

Some American veterans picked up bazookas and machine guns to counter-suppress the enemy, gritting their teeth as they fought and retreated.

"Guys, we haven't been defeated!"

"This was a daring reconnaissance mission!"

"The Chinese have figured out their fighting style, and we will definitely come back to fight!"

"Temporarily relocate!"

A U.S. company commander, holding a bazooka, aimed and fired, then roared.

"Whoosh—Boom!"

The rocket spun at high speed and struck a roaring machine gun, instantly blowing a volunteer army machine gunner and the heavy machine gun to pieces.

But soon, a hail of bullets swept towards the American company commander, riddling him with holes.

Wu Wanli watched this scene through the Sky Eye Map, feeling both fortunate and apprehensive.

Fortunately, their plan succeeded, and the US military suffered heavy losses in this offensive.

What is frightening is that even under such firepower density, some veteran US soldiers can still organize counter-suppression and maintain their formation during the retreat, which truly demonstrates their elite status.

The counterpart to Wu Wanli is Harrison, whose heart is bleeding.

Observing this horrific scene from not far on the shore, he was almost consumed by a tremendous sense of frustration and anger.

He had anticipated resistance, but he never imagined it would be so fierce, precise, and deadly.

"Retreat! Make them all retreat... Damn it!"

Harrison, looking at the river surface that had turned into a sea of ​​blood, painfully gave the order to retreat.

Songyue Mountain still stands silently, and the river flows turbulently, but it can no longer wash away the thick, scarlet color.

Harrison slammed his hand heavily on the sandbags of the bunker, his knuckles turning white from the force.

For the first time, he truly understood why previous units like the 1st Marine Division had been defeated by these Chinese troops.

"That was incredibly accurate! The Chinese commander on the other side calculated everything perfectly!"

"Why should he?"

"A Chinese man with only six months of combat experience was able to fight such a battle!"

Harrison cursed, his face full of resentment.

"Sir, this attack, conservatively speaking, will cost us more than half a battalion, nearly a thousand men."

"However, we still have more than 9,000 troops, so it's not a big problem."

"I've heard that there are a lot of military personnel in the Chinese army who are not highly educated."

"For example, I heard that Li Yunlong, the commander of Wu Wanli's army, used to weave baskets in the mountains."

"And their Volunteer Army Commander-in-Chief, I heard, came from a peasant family."

"This Chinese man named Wu Wanli is considered good; his two older brothers are both veterans of many battles."

The chief of staff of the U.S. Sixth Brigade sighed and said.

"Telegram to Lieutenant General Thomas: There's no need to send Miller's brigade over. Let him go and support Incheon City instead."

"With this level of firepower and terrain, the troops simply cannot maneuver effectively."

"Originally, I planned to use my superior troop strength to launch a fierce attack from all parts of the mountain after crossing the river."

"But now it seems unlikely."

"Request Air Force support from Lieutenant General Thomas to bomb white phosphorus incendiary bombs, so that the Chinese army cannot deploy defenses due to the pervasive poison gas and flames."

"Get the soldiers to put on their gas masks and charge!"

Brigadier General Harrison thought for a moment and immediately gave the order.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon hearing this, the commander of the U.S. Sixth Brigade immediately agreed.

....................................

U.S. Army 1st Division Command

"Damn it, with so much heavy artillery and air support, he still couldn't even break through the river defense line!"

"Damn it, otherwise he and Miller's brigade could have launched a massive attack on Songyue Mountain with their superior numbers!"

Lieutenant General Thomas angrily cursed.

"Sir, since Brigade Commander Harrison doesn't need support, should we commit Miller's brigade to fight in Incheon now?"

"The chief of staff of the 1st Division of the U.S. Army asked."

How long will it take Carter to breach Songyue Mountain?

"I asked Lieutenant General Thomas."

"They have identified a new incendiary bomb and poison gas offensive, and there is a chance they can launch a full-scale attack in one fell swoop."

"But we're not sure what other tricks the Chinese military has up its sleeve."

The chief of staff of the U.S. Army's 1st Division said.

"They still have nine thousand elite troops. Tell Harrison to take Songyue Mountain as soon as possible, no matter the cost!"

"Order Miller to take his brigade and establish an encirclement and defense perimeter outside Incheon city."

"Send word to Carter to change strategy."

"There's no need to be fixated on rescuing the remaining troops inside; let's focus on inflicting as much damage as possible on the Chinese army's manpower."

Lieutenant General Thomas thought for a moment and then immediately gave the order.

"Sir, you want to take Songaksan and simultaneously lock down the main force of the Chinese army in Incheon?"

Upon hearing this, the chief of staff of the U.S. Army 1st Division asked with a hint of doubt.

"That's right, but this is only one step in the process."

"Once we take Songyue Mountain, we will be able to use artillery to bombard the Chinese army at specific points."

“Before, they could blow up most of our regiment with artillery fire.”

"We have so many more artillery pieces and ammunition than they do, we can easily blow up their main force with artillery fire."

“If their artillery clusters at Songaksan hadn’t threatened the range of our artillery, we would have done it long ago.”

"Let's continue fighting like this. The outcome of the Battle of Incheon will soon be clear."

Lieutenant General Thomas snorted and said.

....................................

Incheon Garrison Command
"Wanli, the besieged American troops are fighting very hard in Incheon city."

"Now that only a few hundred men are left, they still dare to fight us in hand-to-hand combat."

"But it's not a big problem. Yu Congrong's Third Division has also gone there now."

"With the Second Division of the Peace River attacking from both sides, it's only a matter of time before they encircle and annihilate that regiment of American troops."

"Good news has also come from Songyue Mountain; your deployment was exceptionally successful."

"We annihilated about a thousand American soldiers on the river and repelled their first wave of attack."

"If we continue to defend like this, we can probably win a few more battles!"

Liu Hanqing handed the battle report to Wu Wanli and smiled.

"We're not going to hold out anymore. We can abandon the river defenses and let the American troops come up."

If I'm not mistaken...

Wu Wanli took a puff of his cigar, adjusted the battle map, and said.

"What!?"

"Wanli, if we let them cross the river directly, the pressure on our defense will increase significantly!"

"After crossing the river, the battle line will be wider, and their numerical advantage will be able to be brought into play."

Liu Hanqing reminded him.

"Hanqing, our strategic goal is to complete the target number of enemy casualties, and then let them pass through to fight Commander Ding Wei and his men to the death."

"That way, we can take the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Incheon Port and seize the American devils' aircraft carrier..."

"After Yu Congrong and Pinghe have annihilated that regiment of American troops, they can slowly retreat and prepare to break out."

"If the US military had pushed in more, we might have been able to use the remaining shells from Songyue Mountain to achieve another round of victories."

"In conclusion, the Battle of Inchon should come to an end."

Wu Wanli smiled and said.

(End of this chapter)