Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 373 Even the thickest tortoise shell can't withstand the attack of a bunker buster!
The strongest fortress was blown up. Although the higher-ups tried their best to cover it up, the news had already spread far and wide. Everyone even knew how it happened: the bomb went in through the ventilation shaft!

Although it's hard for most people to imagine that a bomb from the sky could actually fly so accurately into a ventilation shaft, we can speculate—what if it was just an accident? If they really do have that kind of technology over there, then it's possible.

However, this kind of battle is not replicable. Outsiders have no idea where the ventilation shafts of the fortifications on the main peak of Laoshan are located!

Even the monkey soldiers guarding this place don't know that this secret is known only to the commander in charge of guarding the position!
Therefore, he still has a certain degree of confidence.

Da da da……

Just then, the sound of machine gun fire rang out outside.

He was startled and immediately looked down, but everything below was calm and he couldn't see anything.

"Damn it, Bunker 18, who gave you permission to open fire?"

The voice from Fortification 18 came through the phone: "Report, we've spotted someone sneaking over from the other side, so..."

Before he could finish speaking, an explosion rang out outside. Ruan Yuxian looked outside again and saw that the No. 18 fortification, which had just been opened fire, had been blown into the air!

"what happened?"

"Helicopters! They have helicopters!" The adjutant had been observing closely and saw everything clearly!
Moreover, it can now be seen occasionally that armed helicopters are circling over their forward positions. As soon as they spot a fortification firing, flames will burst from under the short wings, and an anti-tank missile will fly over with a tongue of fire, blowing their fortification into the air!
This……

How can we fight this!
Those incredibly accurate bombs, we don't even know how they got here, but these missiles are clearly right in front of us!

Back then, they could only wage guerrilla warfare against the Americans because the Americans' air power was too strong. If they tried positional warfare, they would only be wiped out by the Americans. Now, they never expected that the air power of the people in the North would be just as formidable!

On the ground, Ma Qinghua wanted to stand up and cheer.

When I was an infantryman, I received ideological education every day to be brave in battle. Even if I knew that charging forward meant certain death, I still had to charge. But what about now?
There's absolutely no need for that!
Fighter jets are overhead, and armed helicopters are above. If any of the monkeys' firing positions dare to show themselves, they will be taken out immediately!

Forget rocket launchers, explosive charges, anti-tank guns... With this armed helicopter flying behind us, it's an absolute killing machine!
Da da da……

Another machine gun position opened fire, and the next moment, an anti-tank missile flew over again.

boom!
The second position took to the sky!
Rear fortifications.

"Damn it, this is completely beyond our capabilities. If we open fire now, we'll only be throwing our lives away!"

"That's right, let's run!"

As a result, deserters began to appear in one fortification after another, running back along the communication trenches towards the main fortification.

"Damn it, you guys, get back to your positions!" Ruan Yuxian drew his pistol.

"Commander, this is simply beyond our ability to fight against."

"Going down now would only mean certain death..."

"To die for the country..." Ruan Yuxian had already planned to take out his gun and kill a few deserters, but... when he saw the deserters' hands also starting to grip guns, he chickened out.

"Alright, let's retreat now, conserve our strength, and retake the position at night!"

When facing superior forces and unable to achieve victory through direct confrontation, nighttime operations become a common tactic.

Unfortunately, the monkeys were unaware that they were destined not to live to see nightfall.

In the sky, a formation of two twin-engine Q-6 fighter jets.

"These outer bunkers seem to require no action from us at all?" one pilot couldn't help but complain.

Originally, they were planning to be ready to be called upon by the ground at any time. As long as the ground called, they would set the bombs to the target and take them out easily, providing fire support for the soldiers.

Surprisingly, we didn't need them at all; armed helicopters were enough!
Compared to fighter jets in the sky, armed helicopters are more efficient and decisive, launching anti-tank missiles one after another, and even taking out some unimportant firing points with rockets.

It can hover and circle, making it faster for armed helicopters to aim and attack.

"Yes, we no longer need the outer bunkers. Let's request permission to bomb the main peak," the weapons operations officer said. If it gets any later, the main peak fortress might also be destroyed by anti-tank missiles.

"008 call, 008 call, requesting an attack on the main peak position."

"Attack is permitted; target coordinates have been sent!"

Upon hearing the message from the AWACS aircraft, the pilot was invigorated: "Input the target location coordinates, prepare to bomb!"

"it is good!"

Thirty seconds later, the two bombs wobbled down. Because they were so close, they didn't need to deploy their wings to reach the top of the main peak and fall.

Boom!
When they heard the impact from above, the monkeys hiding inside the main peak fortress were all dumbfounded. They had thought the main peak was safe, which was why they ran towards it. They didn't expect that this place was also unreliable.
boom!
The next moment, a violent explosion rang out, and the entire main peak fortress began to shake violently. Debris fell from the walls incessantly, as if the fortress would collapse at any moment.

boom!
A second explosion rang out, and people were already running and screaming in terror; the scene was in complete chaos.

Bang, bang, bang! Ruan Yuxian could no longer hold back. He emptied his magazine in one go and killed all the soldiers running around him in a panic.

"Quiet, quiet! Look above us, everything is normal! No bomb can destroy our fortified position, we are safe!"

Safe?
Everyone looked up and, sure enough, it hadn't collapsed!
Aside from the scary sound and tremors of the explosion, everything was actually fine!
"Our fortress is constructed using the natural caves here, reinforced with reinforced concrete, equivalent to ten meters of thick reinforced concrete. No matter how big the bomb is, it can't break through our fortress! The worst-case scenario is that the enemy uses an air-fuel incendiary bomb to suck out the air from here, but... that would also affect the enemy attacking below, so they won't do that!"

Ruan Yuxian reassured everyone: "It's safe here, everyone be quiet. Think about who you are. You are soldiers, the most elite soldiers of our Monkey Kingdom! You once defeated the United States, so why should you be afraid of the other side?"

Only then did everyone become quiet.

heaven.

"008, the target has not been destroyed."

"Damn it, this turtle shell is really sturdy!" the pilot gritted his teeth. "Hmph, do these guys think they're safe just like that? Input the target coordinates into the bunker buster!"

"it is good!"

The weapons operator also felt embarrassed and immediately activated the bunker buster bombs carried under the fuselage. A minute later, with the sound of the weapon racks unlocking, the bunker buster bombs began to fall.

on the ground.

Ma Qinghua raised his head and looked at the main peak in the distance.

With helicopter support nearby and fighter jets roaring in the distance, they felt very safe. When they saw bombs flying towards the main peak, they were overjoyed. But... after the explosion, the fortress on the main peak still stood there!
"what happened?"

"Just how thick is the fortress on the main peak?"

"Even half a ton of bombs couldn't destroy that fortress, so our attack helicopters certainly won't be able to either!"

"Comrades, our time to be tested has come! We cannot be fledglings hiding under the wings of eagles. Now is our time to shine! Let's charge forward and take them down..."

Before the words were even finished, the distinctive whistling sound of a falling bomb reached his ears again.

The fighter jet dropped another one...

"That shape doesn't look like a bomb, it looks more like a stick!" "That's right, what is it?"

No one knew, no one was aware, that they were witnessing a new era: the first time bunker buster bombs appeared on the battlefield!
The bunker-buster bombs originally prepared for the most solid fortress behind the monkeys were not used, and the main peak of Laoshan experienced the power of such a thing for the first time!
A howling sound rang out in the sky, but Ruan Yuxian was still trying to calm his men down.

"Don't be afraid, our fortress is very strong and can withstand any kind of bomb! The heaviest bombs those people in the north have are only 1.5 tons. If we are attacked by such a bomb, we just need to crouch down, open our mouths and breathe deeply to maintain the balance of internal and external pressure..."

Boom!
Just then, the bomb made close contact with the top of their fortress. The violent impact shook the ground, and Nguyen Ngoc Hien lost his footing and fell to the ground. He wanted to continue his rambling, but the terrifying sound above him sent a chill down his spine.

That was the sound of metal rubbing against stone, enough to make one's ears tingle. The bomb didn't explode; instead, it drilled all the way in!
What is this? This special bomb... why is it so terrifying?
The thought flashed through his mind, and then, large chunks of rubble fell from above, hitting countless people who cried out in pain. Ruan Yuxian opened his eyes wide and saw a thin, long object appear in the large, cracked hole.

In that instant, countless question marks flashed through Ruan Yuxian's mind. This thing looked familiar. Wasn't this the Type 66 cannon?

This 152mm cannon was their nightmare! Now, how did it end up in front of them? Could it fly? And even penetrate their strongest fortress?
No one answered his question. The next moment, just as the entire cannon barrel was fully revealed to everyone, the time-delay fuse finally activated.

boom!
The explosives inside the cannon barrel detonated, shattering the entire barrel. Countless fragments flew everywhere, and countless people screamed in agony. Flames filled the interior of the fortress. At that moment, death descended!

Ruan Yuxian was also affected by the blast wave. In the enclosed space of the fortress, once high-temperature and high-pressure gas is generated, it will quickly fill the entire interior of the fortress and shred all flesh and blood!
The shockwave expanded and dissipated in all directions, even shooting upwards from the holes created by the bunker buster bombs, directly reaching the outside. Flames erupted from the top of the fortress, just like... a volcanic eruption!
Below, the soldiers launching their attack stared wide-eyed at the scene atop the main peak—a truly spectacular sight!

Rumble, rumble... Suddenly, the earth shook violently, and the fortress atop the main peak could no longer withstand the impact and began to collapse!

Now, even if there are any monkeys that are still alive inside, they will be buried alive. No one can save them; they can only wait to die!

"Long live!"

"The monkey is doomed!"

"The Air Force is mighty!" Cheers erupted from the crowd. At that moment, even the armed helicopters seemed less impressive.

In a decisive battle, we still have to rely on the bombs dropped by fighter jets from the sky!

"Come on!"

"Come on!"

The soldiers were all as excited as if they had been injected with chicken blood. They had long forgotten about their previous mission. Now, all they wanted to do was rush to the main peak and completely liberate the entire Laoshan!

Even the lower-level commanders were swept up in this trend and rushed in along with it.

Rear area, command post.

"Commander Liu, your soldiers are under orders to provide air command of targets. Their actions constitute absolute disobedience to military orders!"

"Commander Zhang, you can't blame my soldiers. They fought bravely, what's wrong with that? The ultimate goal is the same, isn't it to liberate Laoshan!"

Commander Liu smiled broadly: "From the start of the battle to reaching the main peak of Laoshan, our soldiers only took seven hours, which is twice as fast as the originally planned eighteen hours..."

"Old Liu, how can you be so dense! Is the goal of this battle to win? It's to test our new air-ground joint operations tactics, and to provide a completely new approach to the transformation of our army..."

"Commander Zhang, rest assured, after this battle, we will submit a report summarizing our experiences. Needless to say, these armed helicopters are truly invaluable. It's a waste to have them in the Air Force's arsenal. We should integrate them into our Army, giving our iron-legged feet wings to fly..."

Commander Zhang immediately opened his eyes wide.

Yes, that's a good idea. Why didn't I think of it before?
The journey from Songmaoling to the main peak went smoothly, thanks to the support of armed helicopters. These helicopters, flying as high as a tree, can attack any firing position they spot, greatly reducing casualties and increasing combat speed. They are definitely the best weapon.

Although fighter jets are also very powerful, the air force would definitely not release them, but attack helicopters are different. It seems that in the armies of many countries, these are assigned to the army.

Spread out iron wings that can fly!

"Great idea, Lao Liu!"

"Report: A large number of enemy troops, amounting to six regiments, have been discovered fleeing behind Laoshan..."

Commander Zhang immediately became interested. After looking at the map and locating the enemy's tracks, he clenched his fist and exclaimed, "Such a good opportunity, it would be a shame not to seize it! Send our reserves up and chase after them!"

"Commander Zhang, weren't we supposed to be discussing new tactics this time? Should we call in air support and conduct a carpet bombing raid on their retreat route...?"

"That's right, call the Air Force!"

In the past, there was also air force fire support, but we had to be very careful. We couldn't see clearly from the sky, and if we dropped the bombs and found that they had landed on our own troops, we would be in a real predicament.

Now, the BeiDou system has solved all the problems!

It can accurately locate enemies and friendly forces, and transmit data at any time for timely communication. What truly enables air-ground integration is not fighter jets, but the BeiDou system!

Upon discovering that Laoshan was under attack, Li Weimi immediately mobilized six regiments to try to retake the position. However, he did not expect that he would die so soon. The six regiments, now without their superiors, panicked and began to retreat as they watched the main peak of Laoshan being bombed.

The morale of an army is easily damaged during a retreat, and when it encounters aerial bombardment, it will scatter and run away.

Bombs fell from above, and screams echoed continuously. The remaining people had no choice but to leave the main force and venture into the mountains and forests. Explosions and screams could be heard from there from time to time. The landmines, bamboo spikes, and pits that they had planted earlier were all stepped on by themselves!
So, they essentially cleared the way for the pursuers behind them. As long as the people behind followed in their footsteps, they wouldn't encounter any danger. Thus, they ran ahead and were chased from behind, covering dozens of kilometers in one go, and all the mountains along the way were taken down effortlessly.

Behind us, Hanoi.

The streets were packed with pedestrians, the crowds blocking the roads. Bicycle bells rang incessantly, arguments were constant, and children cried. The scene was just like the Saigon mass exodus of yesteryear.

A building in the city center.

“We can’t wait any longer. We simply don’t have the capacity to continue fighting. If this continues, they will definitely rush to Hanoi,” Changzheng said. “We need to send people to the north to negotiate with them. After all, those warmongers are all gone.”

“Yes, under the current circumstances, morale has collapsed, and no one is willing to continue fighting. It’s time for negotiations.” Wu Yuanjia nodded in agreement.

As a result, everyone's attention fell on Huang Ruli.

"Alright, I'll head north now. But... if we're going to negotiate, we need to be prepared in advance about what demands we'll accept."

Withdrawing troops from Cambodia, compensating the North for its losses... none of these are things they can afford!
"Let's negotiate first and try to get them to stop the fire. We can talk about the rest later," Changzheng said. "We can also use this time to recover our strength."

Negotiations are just a way to buy time, but their ports are all gone. Even if Soviet aid comes, it's unlikely they can transport goods on a large scale. How are they going to clean up this mess?

The Long March was a source of worry.

Everyone else was worried too.

In the north, in the capital, everyone is very happy.

"The power of this integrated air-ground force is truly amazing!" Old Lin exclaimed excitedly. "This battle has fully demonstrated that our air force is the most important force, and the air force is definitely not an appendage of the army!"

The Air Force certainly wouldn't sit idly by and allow its status to always be lower than that of the Army!

"Yes, our army is too large. We have the world's largest army, but its combat effectiveness... can't be improved. Look at the Russians, their army has less than two million personnel. Who can doubt their combat effectiveness? Our military budget is being swallowed up by the army's population. Reducing the quantity and improving the quality is the key!"

The Air Force's actions have displeased many in the Army. These are elite units with historically renowned names; who could accept being laid off? However, the current situation is undeniable.

Reducing the number and improving the quality is definitely the best option; four million troops are indeed too many!

“Yes, reform of our army is also urgently needed.” At this moment, an old general spoke up: “Reducing quantity and improving quality is essential. In particular, we have also noticed the huge role played by armed helicopters in this battle, so we hope to establish an army aviation force…”

(End of this chapter)