Age of Rebirth

Chapter 440 Matsui who lost the bet

In the confrontation between the sea and the land, the heavy artillery brigade of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army suffered a big loss, and the artillery lost more than half. The remaining Japanese artillery finally found a way to avoid being beaten. The landing craft adopted a maneuvering method, Just fire a few shots and start the machine to move the place. Not to mention, this trick is really good. The number of landing craft hit by the heavy artillery of the Chinese defenders has been greatly reduced. But in this way, the artillery support that can be provided to the landing troops is very small. Poor, there is no threat to the defenders at all.

Matsui Iwane, who was on the flagship, listened to the faint sound of solidified guns and guns coming from the direction of Shanghai. He sat on a chair with a wooden expression, and the staff and staff around him did not dare to show their atmosphere. Since yesterday, your Excellency, Commander, almost He seldom speaks, and the old and kind Matsui Iwane is gone, replaced by Matsui with a gloomy face, occasionally rolling his eyelids, and his eyes are staring coldly.

Matsui used all the forces at hand, which he called a full-strength blow, and the intelligence department finally figured out that the one who ate Yoshizumi Ryosuke's regiment was the so-called China Devil Tang Qiuli's army, and its current designation is the Tenth Army , It was this person who caused Xiangyue Qingji to lose nearly 14 people on the day of the North China Incident, and forced the termination of the empire's next plan. He was a terrible opponent.

Why is his shadow everywhere on the battlefield?Tang Qiuli was in North China, but he stretched out his hand to the Songhu battlefield, and watched the Tenth Army's style of play, which was Tang Qiuli's true biography. Therefore, Matsui set the main attack direction in the Chuansha River Estuary and Shizilin area, in order to avoid Open the tenth army with super powerful combat effectiveness and firepower. [

With Tang Qiuli's troops taking part in the war in Songhu, this battle is not easy to fight. Matsui felt a little worried about whether he could capture Shanghai and Nanjing as planned and sweep Jiangnan this time, and his confidence was greatly reduced.

After receiving the news that the Heavy Artillery Brigade suffered heavy losses, Matsui didn't even lift his eyelids. This is not surprising. He was facing Zhang Zhizhong, who is also quite famous in the Chinese army. If it wasn't for him, the army's No. The second day of fighting will not be so strenuous, I can't even adjust the firepower, and I am not worthy of being my opponent, Matsui Iwane.

"Order the chariot wing to attack in the direction of Shizilin. The troops in the other two directions should increase their attack strength. Don't let the Chinese defenders divide their troops to reinforce the Lion Forest. District!" Matsui gave the order lightly.

This is his last trump card. When the Chinese defenders and the landing troops are fighting fiercely, the sudden addition of a large-scale armored assault force will cause great pressure and panic to the defenders, and it is very likely that the whole line will collapse. , Matsui is extremely experienced in commanding operations, and at the critical moment, he resorted to a killer move, which was also his last desperate blow.

The Japanese tank unit suddenly joined the Shizilin battlefield, and the effect was very obvious. The morale of the Japanese soldiers was greatly boosted. The frontline army did not have direct-fire weapons to deal with tanks. Without any harm, the Japanese soldiers bravely used cluster grenades to launch a suicide attack on the Japanese tanks.

The Japanese army's infantry-tank coordination tactics were very skilled. The tanks assaulted in front, and the infantry followed closely behind, providing fire cover. Before the Japanese soldiers approached the tanks, they were hit by the Japanese firepower and fell on the way to the tanks. The cluster grenade on his body was detonated, and the soldier's body turned into a rain of blood.

The first line of defense of the Shizilin defensive position was breached by the Japanese army. A large number of Japanese troops rushed up along the breakthrough like a flood breaking a dike. The soldiers of the army slammed the grenades on their bodies and died together with the Japanese army, but the status quo could not be changed.

When the Japanese tanks rushed to the second line of defense, they encountered their opponents. The anti-tank gun unit of the Tenth Army gave the Japanese tanks a head-on blow. Sixteen anti-tank guns fired [-] Japanese tanks with smoke and fire. , one was interrupted track, spinning in place.

The number of Japanese tanks far exceeds the number of anti-tank guns. Sixteen tanks were lost, which did not affect the speed of the Japanese assault. Facing the approaching Japanese tanks at high speed, and the Japanese soldiers who could not see the tail like mad dogs behind them, the guards stood here. The brigade commander of the 87th Brigade of the [-]th Division, who had a line of defense, was terrified. He took off the uniform of the major general and put on the clothes of a soldier. He led the guards and fled in the direction of Shanghai. deserter.

The brigade commander fled, shaking the determination of the soldiers of the 87th Division along the entire line of defense. Soldiers in twos and threes slipped away quietly, which eventually caused the soldiers to flee as a whole. The second line of defense at the Shizilin beachhead was easily broken by the Japanese army. The Japanese army roared towards the third line, which was also the last line of defense of the Shizilin position.

The anti-tank gun unit was completely exposed to the Japanese army. The troops of the independent division did not have the habit of fleeing. The soldiers emptied their guns, blew up their beloved guns, and fought hand-to-hand with the Japanese army. The scene was extremely tragic. At the cost of the death of all 33 soldiers, 46 Japanese tanks were destroyed, and the Japanese army did not get a complete anti-tank gun.

Received the news that the tank regiment had broken through the two lines of defense of the Chinese defenders in the direction of Shizilin and was attacking the third line of defense. Amidst the long and excited report voice, Matsui could imagine the progress of the battle, which can only be explained as smooth.

The surrounding aides and staff officers looked at Your Excellency the Commander with admiration. Jiang was still old and calm, and when the fierce battle between the two sides reached a critical juncture, he suddenly joined the chariot unit with extremely strong assault and maneuverability, and he achieved unexpected results. As a result, if you are yourself, you can use the chariot alliance on the first day, and you can still keep it until now.

Liao Lei, the commander of the 87th Division, almost jumped out of his anxious eyes. The brigade commander of the [-]th brigade gave up his position and fled. Go-getters, never thought that at a critical moment, they would enter and do such a thing.

He no longer has the energy to think about how to deal with the brigade commander. The only third line of defense, withstanding the fierce Japanese attack, is like a thin wall in a stormy sea, which is in danger of collapsing at any time. If it is breached here, the battle of Songhu may be lost, and he can only go to the military court. Talking about Zhang Zhizhong, the old man can't spare himself, and the relationship is too great.

Liao Lei urgently transferred the [-]th Brigade of the reserve team and personally led the reinforcements to the third line of defense. Finally, he came in time and could block the momentum of the Japanese attack. The Japanese army who had reached the victory wreath would not give up and launched round after round of violent attacks. Those Japanese army captains, brandishing command sabers, rushed forward in person. The morale and ferocity of the Japanese army were aroused, and they rushed towards The third line of defense slammed and charged.

Under the ferocious attack of Japanese tanks and infantry, the casualties of the defenders doubled. The weak third line of defense was crumbling, and the situation was very critical. I really don't know how long it can last.

Liao Lei personally fought on the front line, his left arm was hit by a stream of blood, and blood flowed down his sleeve. He angrily fired the health guards, picked up a light machine gun, and shot at the Japanese army fiercely. The huge sense of shame has already Let the lieutenant general and division commander of the Central Army have the idea of ​​living and dying with the position.

Chang Feng quickly learned about the situation in the Lion Forest. The supporting heavy artillery regiment was fighting the Japanese heavy artillery. He reported the situation to him. His heart sank. Matsui's attack tactics were somewhat beyond his expectations. Unexpectedly, using all the armor power in one direction, attacking one point, and shaking the whole situation, the old guy Matsui really has a way. [

He immediately ordered the Heavy Artillery Regiment to change the attack target and bombard the front of the third line of defense, especially the Japanese armored units. In other words, it is equally dangerous, which means that before they kill the Japanese armored forces, they have to bear the shelling of the Japanese heavy artillery brigade, and they have no spare power to fight back.

Chang Feng also understands this point. Without the Japanese heavy artillery that suppresses firepower, how much of a threat to his own artillery unit, but Chang Feng can only do this. In the direction of Lion Forest, only his own heavy artillery regiment can kill the Japanese tanks. Even if he suffers serious losses, he must do this. If he loses the Shizilin position, he may have to retreat across the board, and the anti-landing operation in Shanghai will be over.

The heavy Japanese artillery soldiers on the landing craft suddenly found that the cannons that fell on their heads were gone. They cheered, and the cannons of the Chinese troops were all fired. It hit the position of the Tenth Army Heavy Artillery Regiment.

The Japanese heavy artillery had no pressure, and the Japanese tanks suffered. The large-caliber heavy artillery suddenly fell into the offensive formation of the Japanese tanks. For the active Japanese tanks, this was a catastrophic blow. The armor of the car was torn apart by the direct hit of the cannon, and the car body was distorted and deformed by the explosion.

Some Japanese tanks were overturned by the shock wave of the explosion, some had their tracks broken off and became live targets, and even more unlucky, the guns seemed to have eyes, and they went directly into the tank cockpit, blowing the iron turtle to pieces , A sea of ​​flames engulfed the front, and the Japanese infantry who followed the tanks charged screamed in the rain and turned into pieces of flesh.

It was a life-saving artillery fire. The Japanese chariot regiment was wiped out on the forward position of the third line of defense of the 87th Division. The nearest Japanese tank was no more than 300 meters away from the fortifications, and it was still emitting billowing black smoke and dark red flames. , Surrounded by the remains of several Central Army soldiers, it was they who, with their own lives, blew up the Japanese tanks that were destroyed by heavy artillery.

Without the assault of the Japanese tanks, the pressure on the 87th Division dropped sharply, but it was impossible to repel the Japanese troops who had already gained a foothold. Behind the position, there was suddenly a shout of killing like a mountain roar and a tsunami. Liao Lei, who was already a little weak, struggled to return Over the head, several soldiers rushed over, he smiled, his eyes went dark, and he passed out.

(To be continued)