Ikuchi Shaozuo and Hirosue Shaozuo were stunned by the fierce counterattack of the independent regiment.
Grenades, light and heavy machine guns, as if ammunition were free, fired desperately at the attacking troops on the mountainside.
What surprised them most was the equipment level of the independent regiment. It had more light and heavy machine guns and grenade launchers than its own two brigades. Is this still the Eighth Route Army with backward equipment?
Judging from the strength of the troops, there are at least four battalions of troops on the Xingling Highlands.
Didn't the captain say that the main force of the independent regiment is with them, and there are only some sheep attacking troops in Xingling Highlands? How could the Sheep Attack Force have four battalions and be equipped with no less than two brigades of light and heavy machine guns and grenades?
The two looked at each other and felt that this battle was not as simple as they imagined.
He even had the intention of retreating and did not dare to continue the attack.
"Ikuchi-kun, I think the commander made a mistake... The main attack direction of the independent regiment is definitely not on his side. If we want to attack, we must be prepared for defense!" Hirosue Shaozuo frowned and expressed his latest judgment.
"In case the independent regiment takes advantage of the heavy casualties of our attacking troops and suddenly launches a counterattack, if they are not prepared for defense, they may be caught off guard and break out of the encirclement."
"Tick-tick...tick-tock..."
A loud charge bugle suddenly sounded in the Xingling Highlands. Hundreds of Eighth Route Army troops rushed out of the highlands like hungry wolves and headed straight for the attacking troops with guns in hand...
More than half of the attacking troops had suffered casualties, but they were not scared away. They stood up with their rifles ready to fight with a fearless attitude.
The two captains nodded repeatedly.
The independent regiment launched a counterattack from the high ground. If the attacking troops were not blocked, they could go down the mountain and directly attack the main force of the brigade at the foot of the mountain, catching them by surprise.
But the next scene scared them silly.
The Eighth Route Army at the front attacked while firing, their submachine guns crooked, and kept firing bullets...
The attacking troops preparing to fight were like ripe wheat, a large piece of it was cut down in an instant...
The few little Japs who were already there were killed and injured thirty or forty more.
The remaining thirty or forty Japs were drowned in the opponent's crowd as soon as they came into contact with the independent regiment's counterattack troops...
"Comrades, charge... open a hole and charge out!" First Battalion Commander Shen Quan shouted an order!
"The troops immediately turned to defense... All light and heavy machine guns were put into battle, and they opened fire immediately to block the breakout troops of the independent regiment. They must not be allowed to break out of the encirclement!" Ikou Shaozuo was the first to react from the shock.
"Everyone obeys Shaozuo Ikuchi's order...the troops immediately switch from offense to defense and block the breakout troops of the Independent Regiment at all costs!" Hirosue Shaozuo reacted and gave the order in a hurry.
"Da da da... dong dong dong..."
The light and heavy machine guns mounted near the two captains were the first to fire.
The sudden rain of bullets swept towards the counterattack troops of the Independent Regiment. In just a moment, more than a dozen soldiers were shot and fell to the ground.
The independent regiment's light and heavy machine guns mounted on the top of the mountain immediately launched a counterattack...
The grenades stared at the Japanese heavy machine guns and exploded, and they actually suppressed the Japanese intercepting firepower.
The Japanese had no choice but to use mortars and grenade launchers to counterattack, staring at the independent regiment's counterattack force and exploding...
"Retreat... everyone returns to the high ground!" Shen Quan ordered at the right moment.
The counterattack just now was discussed in advance by him and Kong Jie. Through the counterattack, he further misled the little Japanese, making them think that the independent regiment was attacking in the east and west, and they did not dare to attack Xingling Highlands casually. The defensive pressure of the main battalions would be much less, and the losses would be will also be reduced to a minimum.
Seeing that the Japanese began to use mortars to attack the counterattack troops, in order to prevent the troops from suffering casualties in the shelling, they decisively stopped as soon as possible.
But his goal has been achieved.
The two captains were shocked by the fierce counterattack just now, and they are still willing to do so. They believe that attacking in the east and west and breaking out of the encirclement is the real purpose of the independent regiment, and attacking the captain is just a feint on their part.
Moreover, the two brigades have each lost an infantry squadron. The heavy losses have frightened them so much that they dare not attack Xingling easily. While ordering the troops to strengthen the blockade and prepare for the next wave of attacks by the independent regiment, they sent people to contact Songdao University. Left, I hope he can switch from defense to offense as soon as possible to reduce the defensive pressure on their two teams.
"Rumble..."
The independent regiment's artillery attack on Songdao Dazuo continues...
The artillery troops and heavy machine gun troops have been completely submerged behind the artillery fire.
The assault company followed closely to the point of impact, using submachine guns and light machine guns to kill the little Japanese who survived the artillery fire. The offensive was very fast.
During this process, some artillery shells accidentally hit the assault company's offensive troops, but they advanced in the "three-by-three" offensive formation. The formation was particularly scattered, and the casualties caused by a few artillery shells to them could be almost considered negligible.
Matsushima Daizuo kept pushing back under the protection of the guards...
"The Third Squadron has established a defense line on the spot. It must block the independent regiment's attacking troops here..." Matsushima Daizuo ordered while looking at his subordinates who were not covered by artillery fire.
They did the same thing.
The machine gunners looked for any commanding heights where they could hide and prepared for battle. The riflemen were scattered among the machine guns, quietly waiting for the arrival of the assault company.
As a result, there was a "rumbling..." explosion, and artillery shells rained down around them, one after another, without end.
The riflemen lying on the ground, the machine gunners hiding behind rocks and mounds of earth... none of them could escape the shell fragments flying overhead...
After more than 200 shells, the 3rd Squadron of more than 100 people suffered direct casualties of more than 70%.
The remaining fifty or sixty Japanese were about to raise their guns to fight back, but the bullets from the assault company had already flown in front of them, suppressing them to the ground again, unable to raise their heads to fight back.
"Sir, the Third Squadron is finished... They don't have time to build blocking positions. The Eighth Route Army's offensive artillery fire is fierce. The infantry follows closely behind the impact point and rushes to kill them. They are definitely no match for a hasty battle!" The captain who followed him analyzed with pain on his face.
"Why haven't the Hirosue Battalion and the Ikuchi Battalion attacked the Xingling Highlands?" The troops in front of him could not count on them. Songdao Daizuo could only pin his hopes on the remaining two brigades and asked anxiously.
"As soon as they start fighting, the independent group will definitely be in chaos, and our defensive pressure will be much less!"
The captain shook his head and said: "I don't know even if I'm in a humble position!"
"There was a burst of gunfire at Xingling Heights just now, but it stopped quickly. I don't even know what Hirosue-kun and Ikuchi-kun are doing?"
"They have two brigades. Excluding the heavy weapons here, they also have twelve mortars and twelve heavy machine guns... An all-out attack will definitely put huge pressure on the Eighth Route Army on Xingling!"
The more Songdao Zuo thought about it, the more angry he became.
As the captain of the regiment, he was attacked by the main force of the independent regiment and could be killed at any time.
The two subordinates stayed nearby but did not rescue them. Could it be that they wanted to watch them being killed before they took over.
He clenched his fists and ordered with an angry look on his face: "Send two more people over to give the order!"
"The two brigades must launch an attack within five minutes, otherwise military law will be imposed!"
Before the battalion captain had time to make arrangements, the communications troops sent by Ikuchi Shaozuo and Hirosue Shaozuo came over: "Your Excellency, the commander, our battalion captain reported that the troops were violently attacked by the independent regiment and suffered heavy losses!"
"In order to prevent the Independent Regiment from breaking out of the encirclement, they have turned from defense to offense, blocking the breakout troops of the Independent Regiment at all costs and preventing them from escaping Xingling!"
"Our captain also believes that the independent regiment's attack on the follow-up pursuit troops is their plan to seize the opportunity to attack the east and attack the west. The real goal is to cover the main force's breakout!"
"Please your Excellency, the captain, immediately turn from defense to attack, attack Xingling, and reduce the defensive pressure on the two brigades..."
“Otherwise, the independent regiment will quickly break out of the encirclement.
Songdao Zuo became angry when he heard this: "Bagya Road, are they the captain or am I the captain? Not only did they disobey orders, but they also ordered me!"
"Can't I tell if the Independent Group is making an attack in the east or in the west?"
"A strengthened brigade was almost eaten by them. How could the independent regiment attacking us be an empty force... They must have made a mistake!"
"Go back immediately and tell your captain!"
"The troops must attack the Xingling Highlands immediately, without delaying for a minute, otherwise military law will be dealt with... go and convey my order now!"
The messenger personally experienced the counterattack just now by the 1st Battalion of the Independent Regiment.
Although he has no commanding ability, he still has some basic judgment abilities.
In his eyes, the independent regiment has strong firepower and offensive power... It would be suicidal for the two brigades to attack now.
Maybe the independent regiment will wait on the Xingling Highlands for the two brigades to launch a strong attack!
They just took advantage of the blocking battle to consume a lot of the strength of the two brigades. After they were almost killed, they would counterattack and break through. They would definitely be able to break out of the encirclement and leave Xingling at the minimum cost.
Although the signal soldier had no right to question the commander's order, he still decided to gamble on the safety of the two brigades.
Facing Songdao Dazuo's eyes that were about to burst into flames, he gritted his teeth and reported: "Your Excellency, the captain, the main force of the independent regiment is really in the Xingling Highlands, and they can break out at any time..."
"We attacked the Xingling Highlands just now. In just a few minutes, the two brigades each lost a squadron and a large number of light and heavy machine guns!"
"The Eighth Route Army on the highlands is equipped with at least 20 heavy machine guns, 70 or 80 light machine guns, and 30 or 40 grenade launchers... Continuing to attack is the same as committing suicide!"
"The Independent Regiment took the opportunity to break through once. If everyone hadn't fought back desperately, they would have almost broken out!"
The signal soldier's report was like a scoop of cold water, calming him down instantly.
He dared to risk being executed by himself to refute his opinions, which showed that the situation faced by the two brigades was really bad.
Could it be that my judgment was really wrong? It was a false move for the independent regiment to attack me!
Once you change your mind, you will use your brain to think of ways to move closer to this idea, and then the more you think about it, the more you feel that the other person is right.
Since the start of the war, the Independent Regiment has only had one reinforced company and one cavalry company attacking its own troops. Could it be that their main force is really hiding in the Xingling Highlands, ready to attack and looking for opportunities to break out?
