Age of Rebirth

Although he had been mentally prepared for a long time, once the premonition became a reality, Major General Whiteman, the commander of the U.S. Third Army, still felt a sense of despair. After a week, in the end, I was able to take the rest of the soldiers and retreat halfway to Manila. Now it seems that it is a ridiculous and childish, even absurd idea.

The Japanese attack in the first three days was obviously of a probing nature. The three-day attack found out the details of the Third Army, and also beat the Third Army to the ground, and its morale was low. He launched a fierce final blow. If the Japanese army had fought like this from the beginning, Commander Whiteman had no doubt that his third army could survive two days, or more than a week, which is ridiculous to think about.

Now, even if we evacuate the Calais mountain defense line immediately, there is no way to do it. The ferocious and bloodthirsty Japanese soldiers all over the mountains and plains will kill the soldiers of the Third Army one by one on the way to Manila like beasts. It is still unknown whether he, the major general, will be able to run back to Manila. So what if he retreats to Manila, Commander-in-Chief MacArthur, can he spare himself?

After being filled with despair, he had a mentality like a gambler. Commander Whiteman ordered the communications officer, "Immediately pass on my order. All troops at the front must hold their positions for more than an hour no matter what the circumstances are. I will send The air force supports you and orders all fighters and bombers of the [-]st and [-]nd Air Forces to take off immediately and rush to the Calais mountain defense line to support the ground forces. Emphasize that it is all aircraft!"

The other side of the Calais mountains.In a tent, General Ito Yanzaburo sat on a rattan chair with a rather general demeanor, his eyes were slightly closed, and a command knife inlaid with gold flowers was tightly held in his white-gloved hands, listening to the staff Major General Nagakawajima, Report on Offensive Developments. [

Major General Kawashima said: "Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief. At 80:89, the troops launched an attack on time. So far, No.95 Seventh Division, 120th Division, [-]th Division, [-]th Division, Tanaka Brigade, Cangzhou The Wooden Brigade has already broken through the frontline positions of the U.S. Army in many places and is attacking the second line of defense of the U.S. Army. Commander Haruta Yoshihiko’s [-]th Army has entered the starting position.”

General Ito's eyes suddenly opened, and he asked, "Kawashima-kun, is there any movement of the US aircraft?"

Major General Kawashima shook his head and replied: "Commander-in-Chief. So far no U.S. aircraft has been found on the battlefield."

General Ito nodded slightly, his face was calm, and he was still as stable as Mount Tai, as if everything that happened on the battlefield was under his control.However, Major General Kawashima found out.Your Excellency the Commander-in-Chief is holding the saber with both hands, grasping it tighter and tighter. Your Excellency the General is not as confident and calm as he appears on the surface. He is nervous and restless. Of course, Major General Kawashima, who is very good at understanding the psychology of his boss, will not be stupid. point it out.

He also put on a posture of respectfully waiting for the command of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief. After a few minutes, General Ito asked, "Kawashima-kun, how long has it been since the infantry began to attack?"

Major General Kawashima replied: "Commander-in-Chief, since the shelling stopped, the infantry has been attacking for nearly an hour. In such a short period of time, being able to break through the first positions of the US military in many places is enough to prove that the Emperor of Japan The fighting power of the soldiers!"

Major General Kawashima misunderstood General Ito's meaning. He thought that General Ito asked this question because he was dissatisfied with the infantry's attack effect. As the chief of staff, it was necessary to explain to the attacking troops.

General Ito stood up abruptly, and said: "Kawashima-kun, convey my order, all attacking troops, immediately stop attacking the second line of defense of the US military, and focus on annihilating the soldiers on the first line of defense of the US military!"

Major General Kawashima was puzzled and couldn't help asking: "Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, the army's attack momentum is fierce, and the morale of the soldiers is also at a high level. Why don't we take this opportunity to break through the second line of the US military in one fell swoop?" The defense line, moreover, if the U.S. troops on the second line of defense carry out counterattacks at various breakthroughs, it will cause great casualties to the attacking troops who are not firmly established, and it will easily cause confusion for the attacking troops. Please You think twice!"

Ito smiled contemptuously, and said, "Counter-assault? Do the Americans have the courage and ability? The ones who are confused should be the Americans, Kawashima-kun. Don't forget, the purpose of our battle is that since the US military's aircraft, up to now If they haven't appeared yet, then our imperial army will fight them out! Do you understand?"

Major General Kawashima suddenly realized, looked at Commander-in-Chief Ito with admiration, and hurriedly conveyed the order.

The order was issued to the commanders of the various units of the Japanese army. Although they complained about Commander-in-Chief Ito's incredible order on the battlefield, they still carried it out resolutely. After the battle, it was called An order for the divine pen.

Nearly 3 Japanese soldiers immediately spread out to the left and right wings to besiege the U.S. troops. Under the ferocious attack of the Japanese troops, the first line of defense of the U.S. Third Army was riddled with holes in an instant, and more than [-] U.S. soldiers were trapped. It was surrounded by the Japanese army.

On the battlefield in the mountains of Calais, the sound of guns and shouts of killing shook the sky. When the news reached Commander Whiteman, his eyes were red with anxiety. If the troops on the first line of defense were encircled and wiped out by the Japanese army, the second line of defense The more than 2 soldiers on the ground could not stop the Japanese offensive momentum no matter what. The only thing he could do was to order commanders at all levels to withdraw the troops on the first line of defense to the second line as much as possible. defensive line.

In other words, it counts as much as you can get out. It has been more than an hour since the Japanese infantry attacked. The US officers and soldiers, the long-awaited plane, has not yet appeared. Listening to the first line of defense, it is hard to tell. Counting guns and guns, looking at the diffuse gunpowder smoke, the American soldiers on the second line of defense trembled in their hearts, praying for God's blessing for their brothers.

According to the normal tactics, the U.S. Third Army at this time should immediately organize its forces to launch a counterattack against the Japanese army and beat the Japanese army back. However, in the hands of Commander Whiteman, there are only such pitiful troops. The second line of defense is a drop in the bucket, how can there be strength to fight back?Commander Whiteman was not that stupid. More than 2 soldiers fought back against nearly [-] Japanese troops, which was almost the same as courting death.

At around 30 o'clock in the morning on August [-]th, facing a ray of morning light in the east, the American soldiers finally saw a group of eagles flying from the sky. Minutes later, all fighter planes of the First and Second Air Forces of the US Southwest Pacific Theater came out to support the brothers of the ground forces in the Calais Mountains.

Looking at the long-awaited aircraft fleet, the American soldiers on the second line of defense, as if seeing God, couldn't help screaming, not only the planes came, but also they could guarantee themselves that they would not be caught by the vicious Japanese soldiers, With a cold bayonet, the patron saint pierced into the chest. For American soldiers who rely heavily on air-to-ground firepower, the plane flying under the wings and painted with white five-pointed stars is like giving them a reassurance. The morale of the soldiers , it will be different soon!

After receiving the report, Commander Whiteman immediately lifted his spirits, and he finally issued the first order with a clear purpose since the beginning of the battle, "All troops on the second line of defense, under the cover and support of aircraft, Immediately start a counterattack, regain the first line of defense, and rescue the soldiers of the besieged troops!" With hundreds of planes, he has such confidence and courage. [

As far as the situation on the battlefield is concerned, Commander Whiteman's order is undoubtedly correct. The first position is lost, and the second position will be finished immediately!Moreover, judging from the distance between the first position and the second position, it is obviously not suitable for a large fleet to support the defense. If it is not done well, the bomb will fall on the Americans themselves and lose the support of the aircraft. The army is nothing in front of the fiercely attacking Japanese army!

On the other side of the Calais Mountains, the Japanese Army Command, Chief of Staff Kawashima hurried into the tent, and excitedly reported to General Ito, who was obviously unable to sit still: "Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, as you expected, When the imperial army was dividing and encircling the U.S. troops on the first line, U.S. planes appeared, and according to reports from our reconnaissance planes, they were dispatched in full force!"

General Ito could no longer maintain his pretended composure, stood up abruptly, and said loudly: "Go west! Go west! Kawashima-kun, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has finally come, order the Kashima Air Force, Araki Air Force, and Kuroda Air Force , attack according to the scheduled plan, and tell them that what I want is to shoot down all the planes of the Americans!"

Kawashima quickly ordered a senior staff officer to convey the order of the commander-in-chief, and he said to General Ito: "Commander-in-chief, there is another piece of news that is not very good. After the US military planes appeared on the Calais mountain battlefield , under the cover and support of the aircraft, the U.S. military launched a full-line counterattack against our imperial army troops that were encircling and annihilating the U.S. military on the first line of defense. The U.S. military invested about 3 troops. The U.S. military is trying its best to break through the encirclement!"

General Ito suddenly burst out laughing, very proud and happy, laughing so that Chief of Staff Kawashima was confused for a while, and looked at the laughing Commander Ito with straight eyebrows, he found that he was a little confused about this superior up!

General Ito stopped laughing, looked at Major General Kawashima in a daze, and said in a very complacent tone: "Mr. Kawashima, this is great news! You see, since the U.S. military has taken the initiative to attack, it relies on providing fire support The Americans gave up their existing positions, and when the imperial army attacked the second U.S. position in the next step, wouldn’t it be as if they were entering a human territory!”

(To be continued) (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to the starting point () to vote, monthly pass, your support is my biggest motivation.)