Anti-Japanese War: Li Yunlong dared to attack Taiyuan

The Japanese artillerymen who were so arrogant just now were now scattered around, either missing limbs, legs, or torsos. Although some Japanese soldiers who were far away from the impact point were not affected by the explosion, the shock wave generated by the explosion also took away some of them, and some were lying on the ground wailing.

Just when the Japanese thought the shelling was over, the sharp sound of breaking through the air came from above their heads again, and the faces of a group of Japanese soldiers changed drastically in an instant.

The Japanese soldiers who had managed to survive the bombardment just now fled in all directions like crazy, and those who were missing limbs were struggling to get away from this area.

"boom!"

"boom!"

Two more explosions were heard, and the shells once again fell in the area around the Japanese artillery positions.

After the two explosions, an iron wheel fell from the sky, spun around on the ground, and finally slowly fell down.

"Report, artillery squadron, artillery squadron!"

A staff officer was about to report, but Okabe Michino pushed him aside and said, "I saw everything!"

After he finished speaking, he immediately roared, "Retreat, the troops immediately retreat one kilometer!"

"Hayi!"

Originally two kilometers away from Ping'an County, after two retreats, the 13th Regiment was nearly four kilometers away from Ping'an County. Originally, the city wall of Ping'an County was still within sight, but now only a wall could be seen in the distance.

As night fell, Ping'an County finally disappeared completely from the sight of the Japanese troops.

On the city wall, Li Yunlong looked at the Japanese artillery position with a telescope, and a sarcastic expression appeared on the corner of his mouth. The combat effectiveness of the Japanese troops was really based on their equipment advantage. Li Yunlong was a little nervous before the exchange of fire. After all, it was an elite regiment of the Japanese, but now Li Yunlong has confidence in his heart.

The Japanese troops can bully the poorly equipped domestic troops, but once they fight against troops with almost the same equipment or better equipped than them, their true colors will be revealed immediately. No matter what Bushido spirit or fearless charge, without the cover of artillery fire, they will just be committing suicide.

Now that there is no artillery support, the Japanese can only rely on human lives to attack Ping'an County.

"Move and hide the heavy artillery immediately. The Japanese bombers will probably arrive tomorrow!"

Li Yunlong looked up at the dark sky and spoke slowly, "The Japanese artillery has been dealt with, and the next thing we need to face is the Japanese bombers. Compared with artillery, the threat of Japanese bombers will be slightly smaller, but we have to guard against them. However, Li Yunlong also prepared a small surprise for the Japanese planes. Two 20mm Oerlikon machine guns and anti-aircraft positions have been repaired."

I have to say that the National Army in Zhongtiao Mountain is really generous. They really sell their equipment!

"Yes!"

Inside the 13th Regiment's temporary headquarters, Okabe Michino looked grimly at the group of officers before him. "Send a telegram to the division immediately. Our attack on Ping'an County has been blocked. The Eighth Route Army Independent Column possesses at least two heavy artillery pieces and twenty mortars. Our entire artillery squadron has been destroyed. Requesting air reinforcement!"

"Hayi!"

The destruction of the artillery squadron was a huge blow to the 13th Regiment. The Japanese army's three-pronged approach was artillery bombardment, followed by infantry charge, and then artillery bombardment. This tactic was used over and over again.

This tactic was very effective in bullying the poorly equipped Eighth Route Army and the National Army's miscellaneous troops, and it was easy to achieve exaggerated results. However, if facing a force with stronger firepower than theirs, the Japanese's tactics were completely a suicidal tactic. For example, two years ago, when fighting with the Soviet Union in the north, tens of thousands of Japanese were captured and forced to grow potatoes.

The artillery squadron that the entire regiment relied on most suffered a devastating blow, plunging the entire 13th Regiment Command into a strange atmosphere. Everyone lowered their heads and did not speak.

"Your Excellency, Commander, please allow me to lead the First Infantry Battalion in another attack under the cover of darkness. This time, I will definitely be able to capture Ping'an County!"

After a long silence, Noda Takeshi, the deputy captain of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 13th Regiment, was the first to step forward and ask for battle.

After hearing this, Okabe Mitsuno shook his head and said, "Tonight is not the time to attack. Don't forget, this independent column also has a cavalry battalion. Haven't you noticed that the roads outside Ping'an County are all pavement-lined and smooth?"

"Humph, the Chinese are waiting for us to launch a night attack, and then use cavalry to sneak attack us!"

After Okabe Michino finished speaking, he stood up and said, "Order the Second Infantry Battalion to immediately begin digging trenches for the advance. Before dawn, the trenches must be dug to the foot of Ping'an County. We must capture Ping'an County by tomorrow!"

"Hayi!"

"The First Infantry Battalion is responsible for the alert. We cannot give the Independent Column Cavalry Battalion an opportunity to take advantage!"

"Hayi!"

"Go ahead!"

In Ping'an County, Li Yunlong, who had returned to the command center from the city wall, was waiting for news. According to his understanding of the Japanese, if they could not attack by force during the day, they would definitely choose a sneak attack at night. Li Yunlong sent out the cavalry battalion just to wait for the Japanese to attack at night and kill them by surprise.

However, until around twelve o'clock, there was still no movement.

"Report, Commander, the Japanese are digging trenches. Should we stop them?"

"Digging trenches?"

Li Yunlong narrowed his eyes slightly, which was a little different from what he expected.

He stood up and thought for a moment before saying, "It seems this group of devils knows us very well! They didn't even launch a surprise attack. Where did they dig?"

"We have already excavated about 500 to 600 meters, and we are still about 3 kilometers away from our city wall."

Because it was dark, it was impossible to observe the movements of the Japanese in the distance. This information was obtained by the scouts after they arrived close for reconnaissance.

"Notify the Second Battalion to send out a small force to conduct harassment and slow down the speed at which the Japanese dig their trenches. We absolutely cannot allow the Japanese to dig trenches all the way to our city tonight!"

"Yes!"

Soon, the south gate of Ping'an County was quietly opened. Under the leadership of the company commander Zhang Datian, the soldiers of the first company of the second battalion prepared to launch an attack from the side on the troops who were digging trenches under the cover of night.

Night fighting is our army's advantage. The first company of the second battalion exchanged fire with the Japanese troops outside Ping'an County more than ten times, with both sides winning and losing. Although it slowed down the speed of the Japanese digging trenches, by dawn, the Japanese had still dug about 1.5 kilometers of trenches.

When Li Yunlong climbed up the city wall to observe the situation of the Japanese the next morning, he saw several trenches crisscrossing two kilometers outside the city, as well as two communication trenches leading to the rear. In front, the Japanese were still digging trenches towards Ping'an County.

Watching the Japanese soldiers digging trenches shovel by shovel, Li Yunlong was stunned for a moment. This scene seemed familiar: "Isn't this my tactic?"

Chapter 135 Early Morning, Japanese Bombers

On the city wall, after seeing Li Yunlong's arrival, the deputy company commander of the first company of the second battalion walked up to Li Yunlong with injuries.

"Commander, let me lead my men to fight again. I will definitely be able to drive the devils back!"

Li Yunlong glanced at the stubborn man in front of him, turned around and asked.

"What are the casualties of the troops?"

"Forty-six men were killed and more than sixty were injured. Commander, our company can still fight!"

"Where's your company commander?"

"Sacrificed, sacrificed! During the night raid last night, the company commander sacrificed himself to cover our retreat!"

After the deputy company commander finished speaking, he lowered his head, tears streaming down his face. Then he raised his head and looked at Li Yunlong stubbornly: "Commander, we can still fight. We must complete the mission and never let the enemy's trenches get close to the county town!"

Li Yunlong looked at the deputy company commander of the first company, who had several wounds on his body and his arms were bandaged.

"You have completed your mission. Take your men and return immediately to rest. We have a more important mission for your company!"

After saying this, Li Yunlong patted the deputy company commander Li Xiaoniu on the shoulder.

"Yes!"

After a night of harassment, the first company slowed down the Japanese excavation progress by half. Li Yunlong turned to the staff officer beside him and said, "Record the achievements of the first company and award a second-class merit to the entire company!"

"Yes!"

At this moment, a sharp-eyed soldier on the city wall suddenly exclaimed.

"Commander, the Japanese planes!"

Several small black dots appeared in the northern sky, flying towards Ping'an County. Neither the Shanxi Suiyuan Army nor the National Army in Shanxi Province had air superiority, and the only planes that could appear in the sky were the Japanese planes.

"Sound the air raid siren, everyone prepare for air defense!"

"Yes!"

Soon, the soldiers holding hand-cranked air defense sirens sounded the air defense sirens, and the sharp and piercing air defense sirens sounded over Ping'an County.

This was the first time Li Yunlong heard the air raid alarm after returning from the mountain city.

The soldiers of the independent column in the city began to evacuate immediately after hearing the air raid alarm. There were no air-raid shelters in Ping'an County, but some defense facilities were dug overnight and there were many cat-ear holes in them.

In addition, some cellars and other things in ordinary people's homes can be used as temporary air-raid shelters to avoid Japanese air raids.

"Woooooooo..."

"Woooooooo..."

The shrill sound of the air defense alarm resounded throughout the entire Ping'an County. Not only could the soldiers of Ping'an County's independent column hear it, but the Japanese troops outside the city could also hear it.

Okabe Michino looked at Heian County in the distance with a telescope, and a smile appeared on his face when he heard the air raid sirens.

"Order the First Infantry Battalion to prepare for attack!"

"Hayi!"

After receiving the order, the Japanese First Infantry Battalion immediately entered the trench along the communication trench. At this time, the trench was less than two kilometers away from Ping'an County.

The small black dot in the sky began to grow larger and larger. At the beginning, it was only the size of a sesame seed, and gradually became the size of a soybean and the size of a fist.

A bomber formation consisting of six Type 97 bombers and two Type 96 land-based attack aircraft was lowering its altitude. Because they had air superiority, the Japanese did not even need fighter jets to escort their bombers. They took off from Taiyuan in such a swagger and flew directly towards Ping'an County.

When the Japanese bombers lowered their altitude and flew over the heads of the Japanese 13th Regiment, the Japanese below burst into cheers.

"Wan Sheng!"

"Wan Sheng!"

"Wan Sheng!"

Then, Noda Takeshi, deputy captain of the 1st Infantry Battalion, drew his command knife and roared, "Attack!"

"Onboard!"

"Onboard!"

A group of Japanese soldiers rushed out of the trenches and launched an attack on Ping'an County.

After the Japanese bomber arrived over Ping'an County, it opened its belly but did not drop the bomb immediately. The bombardier next to the pilot observed the situation below and signaled the pilot to fly again before finally choosing a target to drop the bomb.

"call out!"

"call out!"

"call out!"

"..."

Sharp sounds of breaking through the air were heard, and aerial bombs were thrown out from the belly of the plane and fell towards Ping'an County.

"boom!"

"boom!"

"boom!"

"..."