Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

At the headquarters of the 7th Infantry Regiment, Regiment Commander Kazuo Isao was furious and gave Battalion Commander Masashi Takemiya, who had narrowly escaped, a thorough dressing-down.

"You idiot, are you a pig? Cotton fields are highly flammable and could easily be used for fire attacks. Did you read 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' for nothing?"

"More than 500 brave warriors were burned alive. Can your soul rest in peace? These are five hundred families!"

Major Takemiya lowered his proud head in shame. He now only wanted to commit seppuku to atone to the Emperor, bowing deeply once more.

"Commander, please allow me to pledge my loyalty to His Majesty and to apologize to the families of the warriors."

"Baka! Can seppuku bring fallen warriors back to life? That's the act of a coward!"

"Lord Takemiya, what I want is for an army to win with a desperate will and to rise up with courage after knowing shame. Imperial soldiers must die on the battlefield to expand the territory for His Majesty the Emperor."

Major Takemiya doesn't even have the authority to commit seppuku. The Japanese have spent decades honing their skills, and it's not easy for them to train a major-level battalion commander. They won't let him die easily.

Senior staff officer of the regiment, Takeshi Nakajima, a good friend of Masashi Takemiya, quickly stepped forward to smooth things over:

"Commander, it seems that the garrison in Oba is not weak. The commander is highly skilled in tactics and is very cunning."

Isa was already tired of cursing, but after hearing Major Nakajima's words, his expression softened considerably, and he gestured for him to continue.

"According to intelligence, the garrison at Dachang was an infantry regiment of the Hunan Army. This was a local Chinese force with outdated equipment, poor training, and low combat effectiveness."

However, judging from their demonstrated strength, the intelligence was clearly wrong. The 109th Regiment possessed at least several 20mm mortars and was also equipped with M1919 Browning medium machine guns. Their fortification and tactical application were very sophisticated, making them a formidable opponent that the Kanazawa Regiment should take seriously.

Major Nakajima's analysis was spot on. Isa Kazuo nodded repeatedly, agreeing that the statement "the intelligence was wrong" was absolutely accurate and praised him.

"As expected of Lu Dajun's elite swordsman group, Nakajima-kun has a sharp eye. While Takemiya-kun's underestimation of the enemy and recklessness certainly played a part, the intelligence department is ultimately to blame."

We need to obtain detailed intelligence on the defending forces as soon as possible so that the regiment can formulate targeted operational plans.

"Dachang is a strategic point, concerning the life and death of 100,000 elite Chinese troops in Zhabei. Reinforcements are already on their way, and the Imperial Army does not have much time left."

The Chinese schemes and tricks could only succeed once. With no natural defenses, all schemes and tricks were futile in the face of the absolute strength of the Imperial Army.

I have decided to launch a full-scale attack on the 109th Regiment immediately and make the Chinese pay a heavy price!

The hearty laughter from the security regiment's command post could be heard from a great distance.

After witnessing Zhao Yunwen's ruthlessness, Qin Qingwu looked at him with more awe.

Rumor has it that after roasting the Japanese soldiers, Commander Zhao had a huge appetite and ate half a bowl of meat in one sitting, which is something no kind person could do.

"Commander Zhao, the Japanese will definitely retaliate. Should we hold the front lines?"

After easing the tension, Qin Qingwu got down to business, but Zhao Yunwen waved his hand and said:

"After most of the cotton fields were burned, there was an empty space behind the front line, so there was no point in continuing to defend it."

This open area, extending over 800 meters in depth, was a double-edged sword for the Japanese. The artillery on the flanks could strike their infantry groups at any time, supporting the frontal assault.

"Commander Zhao, if that's the case, the flank defense pressure on your First Battalion will increase. When will the main force arrive?"

Zhao Yunwen nodded:

"That's natural. We'll deal with whatever comes our way. Chief of Staff Lu has already completed the handover and is on his way. He'll arrive before dawn tomorrow."

Qin Qingwu was overjoyed. With the addition of the main force of the security regiment, the hope of defending Dachang had greatly increased, and the bloodline of the 109th Regiment could be preserved.

He immediately stood up and volunteered for the battle:

"Commander Zhao, please give the orders for the next step!"

Qin Qingwu's posture had clearly become much more upright; this was the respect that came with strength.

Zhao Yunwen's smile faded, and he said seriously:

"Next, it will be a real battle, and many people will die for their country."

The Ninth Division, codenamed "Wu," is incredibly powerful despite its name.

If the 6th and 3rd Divisions were vying for the top spot in combat strength, then the 5th, 9th, and 18th Divisions were strong contenders for the second tier, representing the top five.

After hearing this, everyone couldn't help but take a deep breath. The top five divisions were not easy to fight, especially in a head-on confrontation.

Seeing that the atmosphere was somewhat tense, Zhang Yi, the battalion commander of the security regiment, stood up and said:

"What's there to be afraid of? We'll fight to the death!"

"Whether we win or lose, we will continue to fight."

"The Japanese devils want the position? They'll give you their lives!"

The battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 109th Regiment also chimed in:

"If the Japanese devils want to achieve great things, they'll have to step over my dead body first."

Everyone expressed their opinions:

"That's right. When I left Hunan, I considered myself a dead man. I vowed not to return home until the Japanese invaders were eliminated."

"Buy one and you'll break even; buy two and you'll make a profit on one!"

"At worst, we can just throw over a hundred pounds of meat into the field; any place can be used to bury someone."

"Fight to the death!"

……

Slogans were shouted one after another, morale soared, and after the great victory, everyone was in high spirits. Dissenting voices disappeared, and no one questioned Zhao Yunwen's abilities anymore.

Next, Zhao Yunwen conveyed the latest battle plan and explained many points to note, all of which were successful experiences in defensive warfare, which made everyone nod in agreement.

These are all skills that can save your life.

After the meeting, Zhao Yunwen kept Qin Qingwu behind for a private briefing:

"Commander Qin, we must adopt flexible and mobile defense, let the Japanese into the village to fight street battles. We must familiarize ourselves with the terrain beforehand, pay attention to small-scale coordination, and create a situation where many can fight one in a localized area."

It is better to cut off one finger than to injure all ten. The main goal is to eliminate the enemy's manpower, while leaving enough reserves.

The security force will coordinate well with the frontal operations. If artillery support is needed, just call for it…

Zhao Yunwen activated his micromanagement skills. Although he had his own reasons for putting the 109th Regiment at the forefront, it was the best option, and the main force of the security regiment should be used as a reserve force.

The handover of Dachang to the 21st Group Army in its entirety is of great significance!

In another timeline, tens of thousands of Guangxi soldiers shed their blood on the battlefield in order to retake Dachang.

If they can hold Dachang, this tragedy may be avoided. Their opponent is the main force of the Ninth Division, and Zhao Yunwen must have a backup plan.

After returning to the 109th Regiment, Qin Qingwu focused on consolidating the position, digging deeper and more fortifications to enhance the defensive depth.

The Japanese didn't give them much time. The thunderous sound of artillery fire rang out again, and a new round of attacks began.

The same old routine: infantry charge forward, artillery bombards.

Kazuo Isao immediately called for divisional artillery support, and the firepower increased several times over. The 109th Regiment's frontal positions were instantly engulfed by artillery fire.

Rows of shells whistled down, turning entire trenches into scorched earth with a deafening roar. Zhao Yunwen stared at the inferno-filled position, his expression cold and hard as iron, and uttered a low murmur:

"You're all so arrogant now, but later you'll be begging for mercy on your knees!"