Anti-Japanese War: Li Yunlong dared to attack Taiyuan

"Have you designed a new weapon?"

Li Yunlong touched his head a little embarrassedly, then nodded vigorously. No matter whether the division commander and chief of staff believed it or not, as long as he believed it, it was his own design.

"Yes, when I designed the Yunlong submachine gun before, I didn't consider the bullet issue very well, so I designed a burst rifle this time."

Li Yunlong spread out the blueprint and introduced, "I originally wanted to design an automatic rifle similar to those used on Western battlefields. However, although automatic rifles have strong firepower, they are not something we can afford at the moment. So I improved the English Lee-Enfield rifle and designed a new rifle."

"The magazine capacity is five rounds. It's in semi-automatic mode, and can fire five rounds continuously with one load."

"At the same time, the size of the magazine is reduced, the recoil spring of the gun can be longer, and it can also be made more crude. In case of emergency, if there is no recoil, you can also manually pull the bolt."

"The barrel is slightly longer than the Japanese Type 38 rifle, and the bayonet has been improved. This is my newly designed saber, a three-edged bayonet. The steel requirements are not high, and it has grooves on three sides."

The Mitsubishi bayonet was deified in later generations, and many people boasted that it was banned because it was against the will of heaven. In fact, this was not the case at all.

The reason why Mitsubishi bayonets existed back then was entirely because it was difficult to produce special steel suitable for making bayonets in China at that time.

Although the bayonet is just an ordinary dagger, it has very high requirements for steel. At that time, the country lacked qualified steel, so people had to think of new ways to create the Mitsubishi bayonet.

It has low requirements for steel and high lethality, and instantly became the favorite of soldiers in the army. The fundamental reason is that the country is too poor, otherwise it would not equip soldiers with bayonets with such a single function.

You have to know that the bayonets of the Japanese Type 38 rifles these days have some other functions, such as chopping trees, clearing roads, opening cans, etc., while the Mitsubishi bayonet has only one function, which is bayonet fighting.

“Isn’t it a little short?”

The commander looked at it for a while and then spoke slowly.

"We took this into consideration during the design. Most of our soldiers come from the north and are slightly taller, generally around 1.63 to 1.68 meters tall. A rifle that's too long would be inconvenient to operate and carry, just like a Japanese soldier carrying a Type 38 rifle. Sometimes it's inconvenient to walk. With a bayonet, it's almost the same as the Japanese Type 38 rifle with a bayonet, so we won't be at a disadvantage in a bayonet fight."

The division commander and the chief of staff looked at the picture and nodded: "We can give it a try. Let's make it and see the effect first."

"The raw material requirements for this bayonet aren't too high, right?"

The chief of staff asked with some concern. Although we often see our army and the Japanese army engaging in hand-to-hand combat in TV dramas in later generations, our army is the one that suffers losses when engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese army. Most of the time, our casualties are higher than those of the Japanese army, and we always rely on willpower to win in the end.

The high casualties were not because our soldiers were unable to defeat the Japanese, but because they suffered a disadvantage in bayonets. Few of our troops were equipped with bayonets, only three out of a hundred people were equipped with bayonets. It was almost impossible for the entire regiment to have bayonets as shown in film and television dramas. Most soldiers used broadswords, red tassel spears, and other cold weapons in hand-to-hand combat, which were at a disadvantage in length and even more so in quality.

It was common for the cold weapons in the soldiers' hands to break when they came into contact with the Japanese bayonets.

Our army also wants to make bayonets, but a small bayonet has very high requirements for steel, and the steel produced in our army's blast furnaces is difficult to meet the standards.

"No, because of the structure, it will be stronger. There will be no chance of our bayonets being broken in a bayonet fight with the Japanese. Moreover, the craftsmanship is relatively simple. Even if the tip is broken, it can still penetrate the Japanese's body!"

Hearing this, the chief of staff smiled and said, "That's good!"

Then Li Yunlong turned the page with a very serious expression and said, "Chief of Staff, Division Commander, there is one more important thing we need to prepare, and that is a gas mask!"

Making a gas mask is neither difficult nor easy. If you want a high level of protection, you need to use rubber or plastic materials. But if it is just a simple version, it is simpler. Just make a mask with cloth, add glass to make the eyepiece, and finally add a filter tank filled with activated carbon.

Or you can simply make a tin can out of tin sheets, use glass as goggles, and then add a filter tank.

It’s just that the second cost is obviously higher than the first. Judging from the actual situation of our army, the possibility of popularizing the first type of gas mask is much higher than the second type.

"Gas mask?"

Li Yunlong nodded and said, "I have two important pieces of information to share."

As he spoke, Li Yunlong handed a blood-stained letter to the division commander: "This is the information that some surviving young soldiers of the Jibei guerrillas we met in Datong wanted to pass on. A train loaded with poison gas is about to pass through Datong and is headed to Taiyuan. I have arranged for people to blow it up."

"The Japanese have already begun using poison gas bombs in large quantities in Zhongtiao Mountain this time. Many Nationalist troops have no experience in this area. After being suddenly attacked by poison gas, they suffered heavy losses. We must pay attention to this!"

Although the fundamental reason for the defeat in the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain was the serious corruption within the National Army, it cannot be denied that the Japanese had an absolute advantage in weapons and equipment, such as poison gas bombs. Some of the captured National Army soldiers were captured because of poison gas bombs.

The National Army without gas masks faced the Japanese gas bomb attack hastily and was easily defeated by the Japanese. Li Yunlong did not want this tragedy to happen among the Eighth Route Army, so he took out a simple version of the gas mask.

There is cloth, glass can also be made, and there is no shortage of activated carbon. This thing is made by mixing coal with fruit shells, wood and other things.

The effect of using a simple gas mask is definitely far greater than covering your mouth and nose with a white towel while peeing on the battlefield.

Chapter 224: Important Information Brought by Panda

"Gas bombs?"

The division commander and the chief of staff looked at each other. The Japanese would occasionally use it on the battlefield, which would cause some confusion, but the casualties were not large. It was just that the wounds left on the wounded soldiers after the war were quite horrific.

Seeing that the two men didn't pay much attention to the poison gas bombs, Li Yunlong immediately said with a serious expression, "The Japanese's poison gas technology has been improving. In the past, the poison gas they used was the most common one, with a low mortality rate. However, in the past two years, the Japanese have conducted human experiments in the four northeastern provinces, and the mortality rate has increased significantly."

"I interrogated several Japanese soldiers in Datong and got information that they had been experimenting with poison gas bombs in the Datong area. In a village of over a hundred people, the death rate reached 30% within an hour, and within two days, the death rate of the remaining people who inhaled the poison gas reached 70%!"

In fact, it is not the division commander and the chief of staff's fault for not taking poison gas seriously. It is because the Japanese have not yet used a large number of poison gas bombs against the Eighth Route Army, and are still using them secretly. It was not until the next year or the year after that when the Japanese went completely crazy and began to use poison gas bombs on a large scale that everyone took it seriously. However, in a hurry, there was a lack of corresponding response measures.

After the Japanese discovered that poison gas bombs were incredibly effective and could win victory at a lower cost, they continued to increase their research on poison gas bombs. If we had made adequate preparations from the beginning, the Japanese would have gradually reduced their investment in poison gas research after seeing that poison gas bombs could not cause too many casualties to our army.

As for the intelligence that Li Yunlong obtained from interrogating the Japanese in Datong, it was all made up by Li Yunlong. However, the incident was not made up by Li Yunlong, but a real thing. In order to test the power of poison gas, the Japanese often conducted poison gas experiments in villages in some remote areas of the country.

Among them, the four eastern provinces had the most villages. In many villages, all the people and animals died overnight. Basically, the Japanese were secretly conducting poison gas experiments. In order to prevent leaks, even if there were survivors, the Japanese would enter the village and massacre them. There were quite a few mass graves of hundreds or thousands of people in the four eastern provinces.

"In addition to poison gas bombs, the Japanese are also researching various viruses such as plague, cholera, smallpox, etc. The Japanese have established a special research institute in the four eastern provinces."

After hearing Li Yunlong's words, the division commander and the chief of staff immediately became serious and asked, "Is the information accurate?"

"Exactly. I also know that this unit's designation is Unit 731, and it's based in Harbin. It was originally called the Harbin Epidemic Prevention Squad, the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention Department, and the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department. We can ask our intelligence personnel to confirm it. It seems there's one in Baoding as well."

The division commander and the staff officer immediately nodded and said, "Write a report on this matter and we will submit it. This information is very important."

Although the division commander and the chief of staff may not be familiar with the power of poison gas bombs, they are very familiar with viruses. In recent years, various plagues have often broken out across the country. Once a plague occurs, a large number of ordinary people will die.

Li Yunlong nodded, took out a small notebook and said, "This is a method I wrote myself to defend against the Japanese poison gas and viruses. I suggest that it be promoted throughout the army and that all units should learn it. My personal opinion is to inform the people in Shancheng so that they won't be caught off guard when encountering the Japanese using poison gas bombs in the future and be easily defeated by the Japanese."

Li Yunlong started writing these contents after meeting the veterans and others. They are all folk methods for emergency use. In fact, to defend against poison gas bombs, one still needs to rely on gas masks, but due to the lack of rubber and plastic products, one can only use folk methods. The more casualties can be reduced, the better. There is no other way. Who made the country poor and backward now?

If you fall behind, you will be beaten. This is not just a warning, but the bloody experience summed up by more than 30 million people.

The division commander and the chief of staff put the booklet away and said, "We will report to headquarters immediately after we return."

Li Yunlong nodded and said, "There is one more piece of information."

Li Yunlong took Ping'an and Datong out of the bamboo basket. He named the two pandas Ping'an and Datong, to commemorate Li Yunlong's capture of his first county, Ping'an County, and his first big city, Datong.

The division commander and the chief of staff stared at the pandas in front of them in surprise for a moment, then they reached out their hands to tease the two little guys.

"These two little guys were the cargo that a Japanese major named Kota Kodera brought with him when I was traveling by train through Taiyuan."

The two little guys were probably a little hungry at this time. When they saw their teacher reaching out to tease them, they immediately opened their little mouths and bit him fiercely.

"Hey, the little guy is biting people. Is this a panda? Are you planning to raise it and eat its meat for the New Year?"

Li Yunlong did not respond. People in wartime had no concept of national treasures. The most important thing was to survive.

He took out a dried potato from his pocket and handed it to the two little guys and continued, "Division Commander, Chief of Staff, pandas are only found in Shu and Shaanxi Province in our country. I interrogated Kota Kodera, and he brought this from Shaanxi Province."

The division commander and the chief of staff immediately grew serious when they heard the news about Shaanxi Province. Li Yunlong said as he fed the two little guys, "These two little guys are worth a hundred thousand dollars. The Fourth Division, where Kodera Kouta is from, is from Osaka. They have a characteristic: they love doing business. As long as they can make money, they will do anything."

"This time, they received a reward of 100,000 yuan for the pandas, and immediately contacted the Japanese intelligence officers in Shaanxi Province, who found these two little guys."

"A hundred thousand dollars is enough for ten Ding Weis."

"Fifty Kongjie."

Listening to the division commander and chief of staff joking, Li Yunlong handed over a list.

"This is the contact person assigned by Kota Kotari. This kind of animal is extremely rare and endangered in Shaanxi Province. The fact that they were able to find it shows that they have a complete source of intelligence and have penetrated into every corner of Shaanxi Province. They also have a complete intelligence transmission system that can easily pass things on."

The division commander and the chief of staff took a look at the list and nodded, immediately understanding what Li Yunlong meant.

Regardless of whether the people who provided the pandas to the Japanese were Japanese intelligence personnel or local people, these people had contact with the Japanese. These people were lurking in Shaanxi and were time bombs. They needed to be eliminated.

After finishing their business, the division commander and the chief of staff exchanged a glance, then coughed softly and said, "Li Yunlong, we have another matter to discuss this time. Well, forget it, let the brigade commander come and talk to you."

Li Yunlong looked at the strange expressions of the chief of staff and the division commander. They stared at him for a long time and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Division commander, why is the chief of staff so secretive?"

The division commander and the chief of staff immediately laughed and said, "That's great news. You'll know when the brigade commander gets here!"

At this time, the brigade commander was in a cave in Yegouling, Ping'an County, which has now become a temporary warehouse for the independent column.

After learning about Li Yunlong's seizure, the brigade commander immediately rushed over without stopping.

At this time, trucks were parked at the door of the warehouse under the cover of various branches and leaves. These trucks drove all the way from Datong to the vicinity of Ping'an County in such a swagger that no Japanese soldiers even stopped or checked them.

The Japanese could not have imagined that such a large convoy would be a convoy of the Eighth Route Army transferring supplies. They just took a look at the document with the seal of the 26th Division and let it pass. As for the reason for transporting the supplies, it was to deliver supplies to Taiyuan for the 26th Division.

After all, the Japanese knew that the main force of the 26th Division was in Taiyuan.

However, after arriving near Taiyuan, these vehicles turned directly to Ping'an County. At that time, there were a large number of Eighth Route Army activities near Taiyuan, and the Japanese were hiding in the city and did not come out, so they arrived in Ping'an County unimpeded.

A large box containing 10,000 bullets weighed more than 200 kilograms and required six people to lift it. However, in order to prevent the bullets from getting damp, they were still carried into the cave one box at a time by manpower.

"Hello, Brigadier!"

"Hello, Brigadier!"

The soldiers in charge of guarding the warehouse greeted the brigade commander when they saw him. The brigade commander nodded and walked into the cave without stopping.

When he saw the pile of weapons in the warehouse, his eyes widened and a smile appeared on his face: "This kid really comes up with all kinds of surprises, hahahaha..."

Looking at the supplies in the two large warehouses, the brigade commander could hardly control his tears of excitement.

The brigade commander was not greedy for money, otherwise the treatment given by the mountain city would have been enough to make the brigade commander live a life of luxury and wealth. It seemed that the brigade commander was taking advantage of others, but in fact he just wanted to get more weapons, bullets, and even food for the soldiers of the 386th Brigade.

It was also because of overwork and old injuries that the brigade commander finally...

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There is one more chapter today, bringing the total to 500,000 words.

Chapter 225: Brigade Commander: Li Yunlong, do you want a wife?

Meanwhile, Datong.

The 26th Cavalry Regiment of the 2nd Mixed Brigade of the Mengjiang Garrison Army was the first Japanese unit to arrive in Datong to support Datong.

The regiment commander Shigeru Fujita arrived at the gate of Datong City. At this time, the city gate of Datong was wide open. Many people who were afraid of the devil's revenge were leaving Datong to seek refuge with their relatives and friends.

"Sir, the city gates are wide open. Do you want to enter?"

Fujita Shigeru shook his head and said, "No, let's take a walk around Datong City!"

"Hayi!"

Shigeru Fujita was a close confidant of the Japanese commander of the Mongolian Frontier Garrison Army, Shigetaro Amakasu. He had received a telegram from Shigetaro Amakasu and knew the purpose of his visit.