Rise From Eight Hundred

The Japanese troops that entered the Zhongtiaoshan defense line from the gap between the 5th and 4th Army Groups belonged to the 40th Regiment of the 8th Brigade of the 10th Division.

Yes, this Japanese army was the famous 10th Division, which became one of the rare glorious losers of the Chinese side in the bloody battle of Taierzhuang.

In the Battle of Taierzhuang, the 33rd Infantry Brigade under its command was almost wrapped up in a big dumpling, becoming an indelible shame in the history of the Japanese Army.

But this does not mean that the 10th Division is not strong enough. With the transfer of its division commander Renjie Isogai and the arrival of the successor division commander Kazuo Shinozuka, the 10th Division broke through the Luoshan defense line deployed by the Chinese 60,000 troops with the strength of a single division in the subsequent Central China Campaign and went straight down to Xinyang, and regained the trust of the Japanese Army Headquarters. After the end of the Central China Campaign, it was placed under the command of the North China Front Army.

In the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain, the main force of the 10th Division rested in the Pingjin area, and only one infantry regiment arrived at the front line.

Itagaki Shiro, who was a good friend of Shinozuka Kazuo, did not send this elite infantry regiment to the front line,

but kept it in his hands as a reserve. Even though there was a possibility that the Four-line Regiment on Wangwu Mountain threatened his rear, he did not use the elite troops he thought until he found a gap in the Chinese army's defense line.

The two infantry battalions that entered the Chinese defense line were also the top cards of the 40th Infantry Regiment of the 10th Division. One had a record of defeating an enemy force five times larger than its own in the Battle of Yuwang Mountain in the Battle of Xuzhou, and the other broke through the enemy's defense line in front of it in the Battle of Luoshan, with a depth of 10 kilometers, and forced its army group to retreat overnight, eventually leading to the collapse of the entire Luoshan defense line.

Both majors have the Order of the Golden Eagle, which was created in 1890. This is a medal awarded only to military personnel with military merits among the many types of medals in Japan. Even generals and royal soldiers cannot get it without military merits.

From this point of view, Lieutenant Long's luck in encountering an opponent like the ace infantry battalion is not good.

But even the Japanese army has encountered such a thing as stealing the house, so it doesn't matter whether the opponent is strong or weak.

What is important is whether this elite Japanese infantry battalion has equipment that can directly pose a huge threat to his firepower point.

This, really doesn't exist.

The gap between the two army lines is actually only more than 1,000 meters, and there are gullies in it, which is not suitable for the army to move forward. The two infantry battalions affiliated to the 40th Infantry Regiment are not gods. It is their limit to carry two infantry guns weighing more than 200 kilograms purely by manpower.

Top-secret intelligence from the Imperial Intelligence Department showed that there was a Chinese infantry army headquarters in Mo'nan Town, located on the bank of the Yellow River, and it was the headquarters of the 38th Army, the most powerful infantry army in the Central Theater of Zhongtiao Mountain.

How could the two infantry battalions not want to wipe out this major threat to the military in one fell swoop?

But the Chinese were not all spectators. Even if the pressure on the front line was great, when they saw their own army commander being attacked, there was no reason not to come to rescue?

So, the two infantry battalion commanders decided that one would go to "steal the house" and the other would be responsible for blocking the Chinese army coming to rescue.

A military headquarters, guard troops and civilian personnel would only have a few hundred people at most, and there would not be any heavy weapons. An infantry battalion was more than enough to kill them. If everything went well, the battle would be resolved in less than a morning, and it might even be able to counterattack the Chinese troops who dared to come to rescue.

Therefore, the 2nd Infantry Battalion under the 40th Infantry Regiment took an infantry artillery squad to set up defenses on the road that the Chinese had to pass, while the 1st Infantry Battalion led its 3 infantry squadrons and half a heavy machine gun squadron with 6 heavy machine guns to rush to Mo'nan Town.

Why were there only 3 infantry squadrons and half a heavy machine gun squadron? That was because Lieutenant Colonel Sekosuke, who was in charge of the infantry battalion at the time, was cunning and suspicious by nature. In order to prevent the Chinese 5th Army on the other side from sending reinforcements, he specially kept a hand and left an infantry squadron to the left rear of his marching direction for support.

This is equivalent to the Japanese army that penetrated the Chinese defense zone forming a small triangle formation. A complete infantry battalion with two infantry guns formed a point to resist the reinforcements sent by the 4th Army. Three infantry squadrons with 6 heavy machine guns and more than 700 people formed an attack point, intending to slaughter the entire Mo Nan Town. In addition, there were more than 300 Japanese soldiers guarding against the 5th Army that might come from the other side.

It looks very scientific and has enough destructive power, especially for the Chinese defense line that is already shaky on the front line.

For these two elite Japanese infantry battalions, even in normal times, China would have to send at least an infantry brigade of more than 5,000 people to deal with them. At this time, who dares to withdraw an infantry brigade or even an infantry regiment?

At first glance, it seems like Sun Wukong has entered the belly of Princess Iron Fan, and it means "No matter how much I hurt you, what can you do to me?"

Although this deep penetration tactic was only considered superficial in Tang Dao's eyes, it did hit the soft spot of the Chinese defense line at that time, and the weakness of the insufficient reserve forces in the two Chinese army headquarters was infinitely magnified.

The infantry regiment that was originally supposed to defend the flank of the defense line immediately marched towards Mo'nan Town under the telegram of the 4th Army Headquarters. Under the obstruction of a Japanese infantry battalion, it was definitely impossible to reach Mo'nan Town in a short time.

Even if the major general of the 46th Brigade of the 38th Army was anxious and personally brought his own guard company and two baggage companies to reinforce, it was estimated that it would not have much effect.

The safety of Mo Nan Town actually all depended on a 53-man infantry platoon, whose highest commander was a new second lieutenant who had been in the army for less than 4 months.

And this new second lieutenant also lived up to expectations and showed his rookie qualities. Not only did he only deploy a guard squad on the most important front position, he also stayed away from the command post and hid in a small natural bunker with two communications soldiers equipped with only small pistols, acting as a machine gunner.

Here, you are still a platoon leader, just be a machine gunner, and the rank of sergeant is guaranteed.

At least Luo Wanjian, Gu Mancang, and Wang Dashui, the three sergeant squad leaders, thought so before the war.

At that time, they didn't expect that this unreliable second lieutenant platoon leader would lead the three of them and less than 50 Chinese soldiers to fight the most brilliant defensive battle in the entire Zhongtiaoshan Campaign.

No, it should be said that the entire Chinese battlefield was brilliant enough.

Because, it was 53VS720, the Japanese army was overwhelming with a force of 14 to 1, and the heavy equipment was also 6 heavy machine guns completely suppressing the two Chinese.

The Japanese who had just defeated a Chinese guard company also thought so. After a brief observation of the Chinese blocking position, Lieutenant Colonel Sekosuke quickly issued an attack order.

An infantry squadron was on the left wing, and two infantry squadrons attacked from the front, with 6 heavy machine guns, 18 light machine guns and 18 grenade launchers providing fire cover.

It was not a particularly powerful lineup, but for the 53 Chinese soldiers on the position, it was like a mountain pressing down on their heads, unstoppable.

Sekosuke was even too lazy to do any firepower test, and directly sent an infantry squad as the front team and an infantry squad as the rear team, and started the attack along the hillside that would never exceed 100 meters in width.

Previously, the scouts had exchanged fire with the Chinese blocking position that blocked their army's advance. The Chinese would never have more than a hundred men. He deployed two infantry squads and all the heavy firepower to provide cover at one time, which was already a great respect for this group of Chinese.

As the Japanese infantrymen with their waists bent advanced cautiously, the Chinese relied on stones, bushes and simple trenches. There was no reaction except the dust splashed by various Japanese machine guns.

"Yoshi! Order the Tanida squad to speed up, but don't be too anxious. When you are 100 meters close to the Chinese position, crawl forward. The heavy machine gun squadron will give them enough firepower to cover and kill the Chinese who dare to show their heads." Sekosuke, who was standing 500 meters away, nodded with satisfaction.

Of course he knew what the Chinese wanted to do, but he just wanted to save ammunition and wait for the imperial infantry to get close to shoot! Unfortunately, where would the poor Chinese have such fierce firepower cover from the imperial infantry?

The six heavy machine guns at 500 meters and the 18 light machine guns at 300 meters can form an impenetrable firepower net. Any Chinese who dares to stick their bodies out of the bunker will be killed by this cold firepower net.

They have no chance at all.

That day, he led his troops to break through the Luoshan defense line guarded by the Chinese. He did this by using the pressure of the infantry's advance to force the Chinese to expose their heavy firepower for suppression, and then used grenade launchers and infantry guns to destroy them.

The Chinese who lost their heavy firepower could only rely on the infantry's bolt-fire rifles to fight back, but what's the use?

Especially when he gathered the two 92 infantry guns and all the heavy machine guns in the brigade for fire coverage, the Chinese infantry could only be forced to hide in the trenches and watch their own infantry approach more than 30 meters from the front of their positions and start throwing grenades in large numbers.

Finally, under the sharp bayonets of the imperial officers and soldiers, the Chinese fled like frightened sheep.

But how can a sheep escape the fangs of a wolf pack?

The Japanese Army lieutenant colonel was in a good mood and even felt that it was a bit monotonous to look at the backs of the imperial officers and soldiers who were constantly moving forward on the hillside with a telescope. He put down the telescope and looked up into the distance.

"Captain, the map shows that this place is only 1,200 meters away from the Chinese 38th Army headquarters in Mo Nan Town. If everything goes well, we can have a hot lunch in this town." A Japanese captain, who understood the meaning of the general, spread the map in front of his boss who was in a very good mood.

"That's probably difficult!" Sekosuke shook his head and pointed to a place on the map: "After we find and kill the Chinese general who has a reward of 300,000 yen from the front army headquarters, we will order Ogawa Squadron to come and join our battalion. We are going here."

"Captain, the commander of the regiment told us to be careful before we left. Although the Chinese are weak, their strength should not be underestimated. We must not be surrounded by them." The Japanese Army Captain was shocked when he saw the area pointed by his immediate superior.

That was the Zhangjiadian area, where Masao Nakamura personally led three infantry regiments to attack. The Chinese had nearly three infantry divisions there.

"The commander of the regiment is in the rear, how can he know the battle situation as well as our front-line troops?" Sekosuke sneered. "We were ordered to attack the enemy's 38th Army Headquarters. So far, only one Chinese infantry regiment has come to support us, which means that the Chinese are already stretched to the limit and have no reserve forces at all.

And we are attacking the rear of their defense line with the strength of more than a thousand imperial officers and soldiers, which is very likely to be the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

By then, the glory of the Luoshan Battle will be repeated in our 1st Infantry Battalion. Maeda-kun, don't you want such glory?

Besides, Maeda-kun, I am very optimistic about you commanding the 1st Infantry Battalion. "

The Japanese army captain instantly realized what his immediate superior meant.

In the last battle of Rashan, Sekosuke was promoted to Army Lieutenant Colonel based on his military exploits. However, he was still not satisfied. He had already set his sights on the position where he was now the commander of the regiment. In this battle, he only had the military exploits to kill a Chinese general. Apparently not enough.

But if he assists Masao Nakamura in defeating the defense line of the Chinese 4th Army, that will be enough.

And if Sekosuke becomes the captain of the regiment, then he, the second-ranking figure in the infantry brigade, has the hope of being promoted to Army Major.

"Hey! I understand! I must obey your military orders, Captain, and kill all the Chinese I meet." The Japanese Army Captain nodded heavily and stood at attention.

"Well! Maeda-kun, let's work hard together! The empire's military fortune will be prosperous!" Sekosuke nodded with satisfaction.

At this moment, they heard the shrill sound of the hand-cranked siren ahead. The two Japanese officers no longer thought about the future, but both picked up their telescopes and looked at the battlefield.

That was the order from the Japanese infantry squadron leader on the front line to throw grenades, and within a few seconds, the charge would begin.

"Boom, boom, boom!" Dozens of clouds of smoke rose one after another from the position hidden by the bushes.

All Japanese machine guns cease fire!

Although they were fired from the flanks, when the infantry was about to straighten up and start charging, these scattered firepower points had to cease fire to avoid accidentally injuring their own people. This was military doctrine.

"Hit me!" Wang Dashui roared in a completely hoarse voice.

Along with the sound of the shell gun in his hand, the submachine guns and rifles on the position began to fire.

The Japanese infantry who had just braced themselves and picked up their rifles to charge were caught off guard, and six or seven of them fell to the ground in a row.

There was no change in Sekosuke's eyes behind the telescope.

He never imagined that the Chinese would completely retreat without any resistance. There is a Chinese saying that "rabbits bite when they are anxious". This was the rabbit's last desperate resistance.

If an anxious rabbit bites it, it will produce some blood at most, but he can roast the rabbit meat, braise it in braised meat, or do whatever he wants with the rabbit.

This is the confidence that strength gives the Japanese Army Lieutenant Colonel.

This is the hunting ground for imperial warriors.

The same goes for the whole of China!

"Onboard!" the Japanese infantry roared.

Along with the roar, not only the more than 50 Japanese soldiers at the forefront of the Chinese position strode forward like brave cheetahs, but the infantry team located 200 meters behind also picked up their guns and began to run wildly.

This is a wave-style attack inspired by the Imperial Military God Nogi Nogi. It is like a wave of the sea that continuously invests troops to attack the opponent's defense line. If one wave fails, the second wave will be used, and if the second wave does not work, the third wave will be used.

There is always a limit to human will. Under such continuous attacks, people with weak will simply cannot sustain it for too long.

For example, now, the third infantry team has entered an area less than 350 meters away from the Chinese position and is preparing to launch the third wave.

This was enough. Sekosuke simply did not believe that the small group of Chinese in front of him could withstand three waves of charges.

Of course, in the first round of attacks, he used his toughest offensive tactics. This was because the Chinese lack of firepower gave the army lieutenant the confidence.

But obviously, there are many things that he did not imagine.

Reality gave him a cruel blow!

"Ta-ta-ta!" The crisp sound of heavy machine guns echoed throughout the audience.

That was from an obscure corner of the battlefield on the left.

Luo Wanjian gritted his teeth and grabbed the last heavy machine gun in his security company, temporarily acting as a heavy machine gun shooter.

Because the guard company was equipped with this heavy machine gun, all four heavy machine gun shooters were killed on the high ground.

When his captain and company commander ordered him to take away the last 19 brothers, he was asked to take away the Maxim heavy machine gun that had been scarred by the Japanese grenade bombardment.

It is a rare treasure in the entire 12th Division. Many infantry battalions only have 4 of them. People can die, but such important equipment cannot be lost.

Luo Wanjian knew that the Japanese's grenades were very ferocious. Almost all four heavy machine gun shooters died from shrapnel from the grenade grenades. The shooter's mortality rate was much higher than that of the infantry hiding in the trenches.

But what can he do? He is the supreme commander of the left-wing position. If he doesn't do this job, who will?

Of course, the veteran has the wisdom of a veteran. According to the characteristics of the terrain, he built two large rocks half a meter high to block his left and right sides, and used sandbags and soil to block the front and rear. The entire firepower point was less than 5 square meters inside.

This is to reduce the bomb-receiving area. As long as the Japanese cannot throw the grenade just inside his firepower point, if it explodes outside, the stones and sandbags will block the shrapnel for him.

There are bushes all around blocking this heavy firepower point, which will not provide the Japanese army with a clear view.

In addition, Luo Wanjian also hung two steel helmets picked up from dead and wounded soldiers on his chest and back. Although the defensive area was a bit small, he might be able to save his life at some point, right?

This veteran who didn't want to die but could only face death bravely was betting on pure luck.

He is not a newbie on the battlefield, but he is a novice in controlling heavy machine guns.

A flurry of bullets was fired, and most of the bullets were deflected and fell behind the Japanese troops who had begun to charge. Only a few bullets fell into the Japanese skirmisher line.

But this still shocked the Japanese troops in the rear.

The Chinese actually have heavy machine guns?

"Grenade launcher team, find the Chinese firepower point and destroy it!" A Japanese army lieutenant in the rear hurriedly ordered.

It was not Luo Wanjian, the unreliable heavy machine gunner, who blocked the first wave of the Japanese charge, but the submachine guns on the front position.

There was only one guard squad on the front position. The 150-meter defense line was small, but for this guard squad of only 15 people, it was already very wide.

On average, there was only one soldier every 10 meters!

And because of the urgency of time, the simple trenches were not even continuous. Most of the areas were single-soldier bunkers dug according to local conditions. Some single-soldier bunkers were 10 meters deep from front to back.

But the width and depth of this single-soldier bunker just avoided the explosion area of ​​the Japanese infantry throwing grenades. Except for the blocked vision, the 15 soldiers did not suffer any losses.

The firepower advantage of submachine guns and Mauser pistols at close range was fully reflected. A magazine with 20 bullets swept horizontally often covered a width of 20 meters.

The first wave of Japanese infantry was like hitting a hard rock. Before they ran forward ten meters, more than a dozen Japanese infantrymen fell down screaming.

At this speed, the Japanese infantrymen would be killed before they could rush to the defense line.

The remaining 30 or so Japanese soldiers were forced to crawl and shoot at the Chinese soldiers on the position.

Now, the guard squad on the high ground was not afraid, so they hid behind the rocks and threw grenades down.

For a while, the forefront of the position was filled with smoke and gunfire.

Long Yan, who was holding the handle of the MG34 machine gun tightly, locked his eyes on the 50 Japanese soldiers who were running less than 180 meters away.

The commander said, 'Good steel should be used on the blade! ', Luo Wanjian had helped him attract the attention of the Japanese grenade launcher. If his machine gun with a firing rate of more than 1,000 rounds per minute could not set off a bloody storm in the enemy's attacking queue.

That would be a shame to him, the legend of the most gifted hunter in Yeyue Village in 200 years.

However, the somewhat face-conscious Second Lieutenant Long did not expect that his fame would not only spread in Yeyue Village after this battle.

The legend of the "machine gun god" will be left in the entire Zhongtiao Mountain area.

Of course, the creation of this miracle, in addition to Second Lieutenant Long's own unremitting efforts and the possession of the world's first general-purpose machine gun, is also closely related to a Japanese Army lieutenant colonel who is full of desire and completely obsessed with the position of infantry regiment commander.