NCCnovel Chapter 362: An Ambush with a Strong Start but a Weak End
Chapter 362: An Ambush with a Strong Start but a Weak End
"Old Song, don't be sad. Send a telegram! Send a copy to the battalion commander, regiment commander and team leader. The Japanese troops north of Lincheng have been beaten back. The casualties are close to half, and they probably won't come out again."
"By the way, generate electricity first. Thanks to the battalion headquarters for keeping the medical team, otherwise these wounded would be in danger."
Less than half an hour after the Xiji ambush on the southern front began, the ambush on the northern front also started.
Yoshikawa of the mixed brigade was obviously more experienced than Hashimoto Hiderai, and he fully understood the order of Commander Bin Shanyuan, which was to conduct a tentative attack without suffering too heavy losses and the Jinpu Line must not be lost.
After receiving the order, Jimuchuan led only one infantry regiment out of the Jinpu Line. The regiment was divided into three sections, with battalions as combat units, and advanced towards Mengshan with a distance of three kilometers between them.
As soon as the Japanese army left the Jinpu Line, the northern line commander Li Ergou received the news. What does it mean to split a regiment into three sections?
There is no other way. We can only attack the front and not the back. Let the front go. Once the front rushes forward without any regard for others, it will advance straight in without any obstruction.
Just after two o'clock in the morning, a battalion of Japanese troops walked straight into the ambush circle. There was no need for courtesy, and Li Ergou directly fired a signal flare to attack.
The combined strength of the more than 20 guerrilla units of the Lunan Detachment was less than 1,000 troops, and the four companies of the Third Battalion had more than 400 troops. However, the Third Battalion provided the guerrillas with a large amount of weapons and ammunition. Although they were all Japanese products, the guerrillas did not show any disdain for them. The more than 20 team leaders had discussed that as long as the Yimeng guerrillas did not run away, they would not be allowed to retreat even if they were killed.
The signal flare was fired, and mortars, rockets, anti-aircraft machine guns, light and heavy machine guns and submachine guns opened fire together. The violent explosions and flying bullets made the Japanese army panic and they ran to the fields opposite. Just as Li Ergou ordered the artillery fire to be extended, the Japanese ran towards the northwest without looking back.
Li Ergou and several guerrilla team leaders looked at each other in bewilderment. Are they kidding? Are they ready to run away? At least they should fight back! They wanted to annihilate this brigade as soon as possible, but they had no moral principles at all. In less than two minutes, they left behind hundreds of corpses and wounded soldiers and ran away. They ran like frightened rabbits. There must be a conspiracy.
"All units should check their weapons and ammunition, and pay attention to the side and rear defenses. The Japanese have dispatched a regiment, and they may be able to detect our firepower and launch an encirclement."
The situation on the battlefield was awkward. The lightly wounded soldiers all limped away with the team, leaving only the seriously wounded soldiers wailing on the road.
Twenty minutes later, several cavalrymen announced their identities and rushed to the high ground.
"Battalion Commander, the Japanese are retreating. The two battalions behind heard the gunshots and turned around and ran back. The defeated soldiers here also caught up with the retreating Japanese and evacuated at high speed towards the Jinpu Line."
"What about other directions? Are there any Japanese coming out?"
Li Ergou didn't believe that the Japs would return empty-handed. There must be some conspiracy. What he was most worried about now was that this regiment would feint and then another regiment would choose another position to break through. In that case, the battle would be passive.
"Report to the battalion commander, the remaining Japanese soldiers on the Jinpu Line are under our surveillance and are not making any moves."
"What the hell are the Japanese doing?"
Li Ergou felt that his brain was not enough, and several larger guerrilla captains nearby couldn't figure it out either.
"I've been fighting for half my life, and have fought the Japs for twenty or thirty times. This is the first time I've seen them run so fast. It's really like seeing a ghost."
"Who said it wasn't? It was just like we had agreed on. I felt that when our flares were launched, the Japanese were already ready to run away."
Li Ergou stopped struggling and ordered the special forces members:
"Continue the reconnaissance. No matter what tactics the Japanese use, we must defend this position. If you find the Japanese breaking through from other directions, report it immediately. I will lead the team to intercept them."
"Yes, Captain, don't worry, we will investigate it thoroughly."
Several guerrilla captains discussed it, and the middle-aged man who had been cursing just now came over.
"Captain Li, what should we do now? Continue the ambush or choose another ambush location? There are still Japs howling on the road, should we deal with them first?"
"Deal with it! I'll leave it to you."
"Don't worry, Captain Li. What about the captured spoils?"
"Captain Zhu, right? Please divide the weapons among you! We don't have many guns. Besides, no matter if there is a battle tonight or not, we will not take back the weapons and ammunition we gave you."
The middle-aged man was pleasantly surprised and pretended to give in. But when he saw that Li Ergou was determined, he turned around and shared his joy with several captains.
"Correspondent"!
"arrive"!
"Send a telegram to Captain Ning and the captain, tell them about our situation here, and request, yes, tactical guidance."
"Battalion Commander, I heard that you asked for tactical guidance because you couldn't defeat the Japanese."
"Asshole, do you know how to fight without asking for guidance? Why don't you go to the Jinpu Line and ask the Japanese what they mean?"
"Battalion Commander, I was wrong. I will send the message right away."
Several guerrillas encountered a problem in clearing the battlefield. They couldn't kill the prisoners! Dozens of seriously injured soldiers were still wailing. They couldn't save them, and they didn't have the ability to do so. But if they killed the prisoners, it would be against policy.
Captain Zhu, who had been excited just now, felt very uncomfortable. In his opinion, he could just stab a few times with bayonets and be done with it. No one could see in the dark. But a few captains were nagging and annoying.
"Captain Qin, Captain Liang and Captain Sun, these wounded soldiers are left to you. I can't treat them anyway."
"Old Zhu, what do you mean? You move forward when there are benefits, and retreat when there are difficulties, right?"
"Get lost, Liang Dazui, stop acting so hypocritical. Who are you showing off to? Weren't you the one who shouted the loudest just now? If you want to save them, no one will stop you. The village in your base was just massacred by the Japanese, and you forgot about it in a blink of an eye, didn't you? The people give you food and shelter, but you don't avenge them and even want to protect these wounded soldiers. I really look down on you. If you want to save them, I won't stop you, but I just don't want to save them. What's wrong with that?"
Captain Liang's face turned red. Their base was in Huangqian Town on the eastern foot of Mount Tai. Because of hiding the wounded guerrillas, a village in the base was killed by the Japanese. Captain Liang wanted to avenge his fellow villagers very much, but was this the case?
Li Ergou was a little annoyed when he saw a dispute on the road.
"Second Company Commander".
"arrive".
"Take a platoon and shoot the wounded soldiers. They are howling endlessly. It's so annoying to listen to them."
"Yes".
The second company commander led a platoon of soldiers down the road, ignoring the quarreling captains. He raised his arm and thirty submachine guns opened fire. After a burst of bullets, everything was quiet. The second company commander explained to the captains calmly:
"Sorry, our battalion commander is annoyed by their howling and feels that keeping them alive is a waste of food. You guys continue! We'll go up right away."