At noon, the sun is high in the sky, neither cold nor hot. This is the most pleasant time of the day in Nanjing, which is about to enter late autumn.
The confrontation at the eastern foot of Qingliang Mountain has lasted for nearly five hours. The surrounding streets have been tightly blocked, and the onlookers have been expelled again and again, and are finally restricted to a place as far as a block away.
Previously, in order to cut off the broadcasts that spread "slandering the government and stirring up people's hearts", the doctor of the Yi'an Police Department who personally came to the scene and took command ordered the antenna on the top of the tower to be destroyed with minimal damage.
It is very difficult to attack from the bottom up. The mortar is not accurate enough for direct-fire weapons. A slight deviation from the front, back, left, or right will miss the top of the broadcast tower. The 19-type 38.4mm infantry gun with a relatively straight trajectory does not have enough elevation angle. .
As a last resort, they could only ask for support from the garrison in the capital.
The nature of mobilizing the army at the emperor's feet is not ordinary. No one dares to try to kill first and then report later.
As a result, requests were reported layer by layer, and orders were issued layer by layer. It was not until now that a combat anti-gun team from the fourth mixed brigade of the Guards arrived by car.
"Boom! Boom!"
They mounted the guns on high wooden boxes to obtain a sufficient elevation angle. Two Type 35 anti-tank guns fired more than a dozen rounds of 14.4mm armor-piercing incendiary bombs and instant explosive bombs at the antenna on the top of the tower one after another.
The hoarse speech coming from the radio suddenly stopped, leaving only the background noise.
No heavy weapons were used to destroy the antenna, which minimized the collateral damage.
"The antenna has been destroyed. Why don't you just abandon your weapons and capture him immediately? Stop fighting a trapped beast! It's pointless!"
However, despite forcibly destroying the external communication channels, the attackers still ignored the entreaties of the surrounded police officers to surrender and kept firing in an attempt to resist to the end.
"Hahahahaha - if you just live in an ignoble way, wouldn't you be breaking your promise? Today, you must die to make your ambition clear! Use your sacrifice in exchange for the enlightenment of the world!"
The exchange of fire at the scene has not been interrupted, but sometimes sparse and sometimes intensive.
After a few hours, the police positions were covered with yellow bullet casings and pools of blood. During this period, the Yingtian Prefecture Police and Yi'an Army suffered a total of twenty-two casualties!
The Yi'an Army moved two Type 19 38.4mm infantry guns that had been eliminated by the army into the headquarters building, deployed them behind suitable windows on the second and third floors respectively, and aimed at the broadcast tower dozens of meters away and fired.
Amidst the "bang bang" sound of artillery, one shell after another accurately passed through the window of the broadcast tower and exploded inside!
This kind of infantry gun was specially used for precision shooting during the European War, allowing the infantry unit to have the ability to counter enemy machine gun fire points. However, its shells are too small, and the charge is only 29g. You must know that the Type 18 grenades equipped by the Ming army have a charge of 60g.
How powerful can such a weak explosion be in the relatively spacious interior of a broadcast tower?
Although they were caught off guard at first and suffered a loss, knocking down several people, the attackers who resisted inside quickly found cover.
As a result, although the fighting looked very exciting from the outside, with constant explosions and billowing black-gray gunpowder smoke drifting out from every window, there were very few casualties inside.
"Now! Up, up, up!"
The soldiers of Yi'an Army did not know this. This situation made them mistakenly believe that these thieves would be stunned and suffered heavy casualties by the bombing, so they launched a decisive attack.
The main entrance was tightly blocked, and even after being hit by several shells, it was still blocked by various tables, cabinets and other debris, so the soldiers had no choice but to climb in through the windows.
The power of the backup generator was limited, and the elevator had long been shut down. The two sides started fighting in the stairwell. The gunshots were "click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click." The fierce resistance from the other side completely exceeded everyone's expectations!
In this close firefight of less than ten meters, almost face to face, the old-fashioned Lebel rifles and Winchester lever rifles equipped by the Yi'an Army soldiers could not take any advantage. On the contrary, the shotguns and shotguns in the hands of the attackers Sharper.
Due to different national conditions, the Ming Dynasty's military and police were equipped with a small number of automatic weapons, which were completely inferior to their counterparts on the other side of the ocean today, although the latter were also forced out by the "Chicago Typewriters" of gang members.
The attack was blocked, and after a few minutes of stalemate, the Yi'an army was forced to retreat.
The failed attack resulted in seven casualties, three dead and four injured. The frightened soldiers estimated that the other party also lost about three people.
At this point, Yingtianfu police and Yi Anjun have tried their best, but the entire broadcast tower is still firmly occupied by the attackers.
If we don't take other measures now, we can only use the stupidest method - fill it with people, use more to defeat less, and exhaust the opponent, at the cost of twenty or thirty casualties.
The police officer who witnessed the whole process was so angry that he stamped his feet, but there was nothing he could do.
You can't really use stupid tricks, right? That's too embarrassing. It's even more embarrassing than calling for help from foreign aid. It also makes you look like you're taking human life lightly!
After a while, he made up his mind and ordered: "Report the situation, tell the truth, and ask for help from the army!"
Someone next to me was struggling: "I have already asked the army for help before. If I ask for help now, is it a bit..."
"Now that the matter has come to this, do your and my face and airs still matter? This is the capital, and any more seconds spent will ruin the face of the country!"
"yes!"
Compared to the emperor who was calm and steady on the Diaoyutai, the crown prince showed more disgust and displeasure with this radical act.
He made a special phone call to inquire about the progress of the purge. Although he did not press for it, in people's eyes this was actually urging in disguise.
Since no combat readiness order has been issued, the garrison in the capital is still in a daily state, and its response speed is also very slow.
Although according to the regulations, even on a daily basis, any unit must ensure that at least two detachments are on alert and can be dispatched at any time. For example, a whole battalion needs to have two platoons, and a whole regiment needs to have Two teams.
However, this order has not been implemented well for a long time. The years of peace have largely worn away people's vigilance. Officers and soldiers generally feel that this ratio is too high - why is such a scale of vigilance needed in normal times? strength?
Therefore, in actual implementation, everyone is accustomed to halving it, which has always been sufficient to deal with occasional emergencies.
But this time is different. Since it is not suitable to use heavy weapons, what is the difference between the Forbidden Army and the Army and the Yi'an Army? At most, the equipment and training are better, and they are essentially light infantry.
Now the garrison commander was asking which troops could provide immediate support. Zhou Changfeng, who had just put down his chopsticks, couldn't help complaining: "We've finished lunch and haven't defeated them yet?"
Zhao Hanfeng, who looked helpless, spread his hands and said: "I just asked, the thieves are stationed in the broadcast tower, equipped with long and short rifles, as well as machine guns. If they don't pile up people desperately, the police and Yi'an army can't attack."
"Machine gun?! Li Dapu, where did it come from?"
"It's a British-style turntable gun. Who knows where it came from."
The British army and the Russian army both have disc-fed machine guns. The former is the Lewis light machine gun, and the latter is the Deggarev light machine gun.
As an early light machine gun, the Lewis light machine gun has very good overall performance and is also widely used as an aviation machine gun. It is almost all the rear seat machine gun of the Allied biplanes. When the Ming Dynasty began to develop its aviation power, it naturally brought it back when it introduced a series of British and French fighters.
The aviation-type Lewis light machine gun generally uses a thickened double-layer bullet disc, which can hold more than 90 rounds of bullets and has a rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute. This kind of firepower is still considerable even today, twenty years later.
In view of Zhu Lingjing's reminder, the 1st Marine Regiment has been prepared for a long time. These days, they have taken turns to ensure that two teams are on alert from morning to night, and the regiment's reconnaissance unit is on standby throughout the day.
Unexpectedly, I thought there might be a large-scale riot, but it turned out to be just a group of dead soldiers seizing the broadcast tower to create momentum, but it made the Ming army and police so anxious.
"It's really hard for ordinary police to deal with such well-prepared and heavily armed gangsters," Zhou Changfeng muttered.
What's interesting is that after suffering such a loss and such a shameless incident in the majestic imperial capital, Ming Dynasty is likely to become the first country in the world to form a professional SWAT team.
SWAT is the Special Tactics Unit. Historically, the Los Angeles Police Department felt that conventional law enforcement forces could not effectively respond to increasingly severe violent crimes, so they established a professional and elite SWAT team for the first time with the help of the Marine Corps. It is the well-known LAPD-SWAT.
"It's not far, but it's not far. Brother Zhou, should we join in the fun?" Zhu Lizhuo stretched out his hand and scratched the map, then raised his head and asked.
Starting from Jiangxinzhou Pier, opposite is the confluence of the Qinhuai River and the Yangtze River. A short while south along the Qinhuai River is Qingliangmen. After landing, it is only one and a half miles away from the eastern foot of Qingliang Mountain.
If you move quickly, the whole process may only take half an hour.
Although Zhou Changfeng didn't think it was necessary, it was possible that the day lilies would be cold by the time we got there, because the reconnaissance battalion and engineer battalion of the Third Hun Brigade were stationed very close to there.
However, he still called the garrison command department to report the situation of the 1st Marine Regiment. It could be dispatched at any time and could arrive within two-quarters of an hour.
"...There are about a dozen people left. It's difficult to deal with them there. We won't consider using artillery and bombs for the time being." Pang Lingqi's voice was on the other end of the phone.
"Senior, considering the conditions, use sneeze poison. This is actually the best." Zhou Changfeng suggested.
There were five ordinary company employees inside the broadcast tower. Public opinion did not allow indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians, so more powerful shelling and blasting would not work.
Previously, the Yi'an Army only dared to fire on the first and second floors using 38.4mm infantry artillery.
There are two types of sneezing poisons equipped by the Ming army: diphenylchloroarsine and diphenylcyanoarsine. The latter is more potent. Both poisons mainly stimulate the upper respiratory tract, causing nasopharyngeal burning, sneezing, and runny noses. , shed tears, can significantly affect a person's ability to move.
Compared with neurological and erosive poisons, this poison is much milder. The body can recover naturally, and if timely medical assistance is provided, it will be basically fine.
But it is a chemical weapon after all, and it is still more toxic than the police tear gas ammunition of later generations. However, countries have not yet conducted in-depth research on police tear gas ammunition. Except for Tsarist Russia, all countries lack experience in this area.
Pang Lingqi on the other end of the phone was silent for a moment, and finally said in a deep voice: "Go to the scene to supervise and prepare medical supplies."
After receiving the order, Zhou Changfeng immediately dispatched the third team of the first battalion and the fourth platoon of the reconnaissance team to set off, drove to the dock, and then quickly sailed into the Qinhuai River in a dozen small boats that had been prepared.
The reconnaissance team was supposed to have only three platoons. The fourth platoon was a test unit established after Zhou Changfeng applied. Simply put, it was the special forces of the 1st Marine Regiment. The training syllabus was modified by him based on the scout chapter of the Ming Army Army Drill Code. .
The personnel are all selected at different levels and are well-equipped and have extremely strong automatic firepower. They are generally equipped with submachine guns, semi-automatic rifles, and Type 20 automatic guns. The bolt-action rifles used by snipers are also equipped with triple optical sights. Type 1 rifle.
Zhou Changfeng's original intention of establishing this unit was actually to practice the special operations theories of later generations and try to best combine them with today's technical conditions. He did not expect that a special force of more than 30 people would play a big role in the war. But unexpectedly, it came in handy in this situation.
A dozen small boats were sailing quickly on the Qinhuai River, with the magnificent Nanjing City Wall on the left.
"Ashore, ashore! Move quickly!"
The soldiers disembarked one after another at the pier next to Qingliangmen. After forming a team, they ran quickly towards their destination without stopping.
At about the same time as the 200 officers and soldiers of the 1st Marine Regiment, people from other units arrived, including a team from the reconnaissance battalion of the 3rd Guards Brigade, as well as three armored vehicles and two 112mm infantry guns from the 1st Guards Division.
It can be said that the broadcasting company has been surrounded by water. The reconnaissance team of the third mixed brigade also sent a platoon to climb Qingliang Mountain to monitor the broadcasting tower from the rear.
"Report, Mr. Han, the medical team already knows that we are going to release poison gas, and they will be ready immediately."
"Hush! Don't use the word 'poisonous gas'. It will cause people to panic. Use 'tearful gas' to the outside world."
"yes……"
After discussions among the officers present, it was finally decided that the 1st Marine Regiment would carry out the assault and clearing, the 1st Guards Division would be responsible for fire suppression, and the 3rd Mixed Brigade would remain on standby.
Half an hour later, all units were ready.
On the semi-encircled front, the officers and soldiers of the 1st Marine Regiment all put on gas masks, checked each other's tightness, and then turned on the gun safety.
"Boom! Boom!"
The two infantry cannons roared in unison, accurately shooting the diphenylchloroarsine poison bullet through the window into the broadcast tower dozens of meters away.
Repeatedly, from the upper floor to the lower floor, six rounds and twelve shots were fired. As far as the naked eye could see, the entire broadcast tower was filled with a faint brown or green mist.
The three armored vehicles drove forward slowly, followed closely by more than 30 officers and soldiers from the fourth reconnaissance platoon of the 1st Marine Regiment.
After getting close, they immediately climbed through the window and rushed inside, and started a fierce exchange of fire with the dying attackers.
The latter, with runny noses and tears, even tried to throw Molotov cocktails at the armored vehicle, but he was shot to death one after another.
"Da da da--"
"Grass! Left!"
"boom!"
"It's an employee! Don't shoot!"
"Someone is hiding in the utility room!"
"boom!"
At 1:14 in the afternoon, these extremely fanatical attackers were wiped out.
(End of chapter)
