When darkness enveloped the earth, the battlefield finally stopped. It was as if nothing happened yesterday. Even though the collapsed city is still burning, the smoke is still hovering in the sky at sunset.
At this moment, the night was quiet, and the injured soldiers were hiding in the corner licking their wounds. The survivors gathered around the fire, but still did not fall asleep.
They were actually very tired, but their brains, which were always in a state of excitement, kept them from falling asleep.
Because this is the forefront of the battlefield, the enemy will rush over at any time and cut your neck in your sleep.
So although the war ended briefly, the people who were in the war still couldn't sleep.
They endured each other until one was exhausted.
The same goes for Zhou Weiguo. Logically speaking, after a day of rapid marching and fighting against the Japanese invaders, he should be very tired.
But he was still counting the casualties of his 522nd Regiment and the Independent Regiment.
Today, not counting Xiaoyangzhuang, just referring to the battle in Baijia Town, the Independent Regiment plus his 522nd Regiment suffered more than 300 casualties, and the battle damage reached nearly 40%.
If we continue to calculate according to this casualty figure, the Independent Regiment and the 522nd Regiment can only hold on for one more day before they are completely annihilated in Baijia Town.
Zhou Weiguo was scratching his head at this time, because apart from the casualties, the most important thing was the supply of weapons and ammunition. The ammunition he brought was almost exhausted. But the enemy's numbers seemed to outnumber their bullets.
"Continue to send reports to Nanjing, telling them that we need reinforcements and ammunition supplies. How can we fight without ammunition?"
Zhou Weiguo said angrily. He didn't know what the logistics department did. It had been a day since he sent the telegram, but there was still no news.
"Report to the group, call from Nanjing."
At this moment, a signal soldier came to report, and his face was very ugly.
Zhou Weiguo knew something was wrong and signaled the other party to continue.
The signal corps continued to report: "A call from Nanjing, telling us to retreat immediately."
"Crazy? We retreat, what will happen to the Changzhou defenders?"
Zhou Weiguo was angry because he waited for a day, but instead of receiving reinforcements and ammunition, he waited for an order to retreat. This is really a muddled account.
"When I called back, I said that we couldn't withdraw. The commander of the Dragon Boat Festival Brigade of the Third Military Police Battalion was performing a secret mission. Even if we wanted to withdraw, we would have to wait until he came back before withdrawing."
Zhou Weiguo directly ordered to refuse. But at this time, the communications soldier was still poking there.
Zhou Weiguo said angrily: "What? Doesn't my order work?"
The communications soldier quickly said: "Regiment seat, Ma'anshan's defense line has been broken."
Zhou Weiguo frowned, because if the Ma'anshan line was broken, they would have no choice but to retreat. Although the Ma'anshan line is to the south of the Changzhou line, if the Ma'anshan defenders retreat, the retreat from Baijia Town and other theaters in Changzhou will be cut off.
In other words, if they don't shrink their front line, they may be surrounded by the Japanese.
"Don't reply yet. Contact Duanwu. I want to tell him about this and let him make a judgment."
Zhou Weiguo ordered the communications troops to contact Duanwu because the war situation suddenly deteriorated and retreat was inevitable. But the Dragon Boat Festival was still in enemy-occupied territory.
He had contacted the Dragon Boat Festival special forces before, but the radio went silent.
Lao Shou, who came back, also told Zhou Weiguo that the Japanese army's high-power radio could capture the radio signal and that the special team's radio would remain silent until the mission was completed.
But at this time, Zhou Weiguo could no longer care about so much. He had to contact Duanwu and discuss the matter with Duanwu. It would be best if he could come back immediately to take charge of the overall situation.
But at this moment, there was a noise at the door.
As soon as Zhou Weiguo heard this voice, he knew that there was no one else but Zhu Shengzhong from the independent regiment.
He had heard some news before that Zhu Shengzhong was very dissatisfied with his command of operations.
"Let him in!"
Zhou Weiguo shouted. After hearing Zhou Weiguo's order, the guards stopped blocking them and let Zhu Shengzhong, Lao Snoring, and Sun Shiyu enter the command room.
Zhu Shengzhong scolded him when he opened his mouth: "What are you so worried about? Thanks to our regiment for trusting you so much and teaching the Independent Regiment to you. Are you using your brothers as cannon fodder? It doesn't matter! Brothers are just fighting on the battlefield." It belongs to the Japs. I don’t even want the military exploits, just to kill the Japs. But what? Want to retreat? I see our group hasn’t come back yet, who of you dares to leave?"
Zhu Shengzhong was angry and outspoken. It was because he heard the order to retreat that he, Lao Shou and Sun Shiyu came to Zhou Weiguo to ask for an explanation.
But if it were normal, Lao Shou and Sun Shiyu would definitely stop him. But today is different, because if Zhou Weiguo gives the order to retreat, then their group may not be able to come back.
So Sun Shiyu and Lao Shou quietly watched what happened, just waiting for Zhou Weiguo to give an explanation.
Zhou Weiguo curled his lips, sighed, and then asked Zhu Shengzhong, Lao Shou and Sun Shiyu to come over and look at the map.
He first circled Xiaoyangzhuang with a red pen, then looked at the three of them and said: "Let's talk about the battle at Xiaoyangzhuang first.
In the battle of Xiaoyangzhuang, the Independent Regiment acted as a wedge and inserted itself into the heart of the enemy, rescuing people and holding back the Japanese army. I just want to ask you now, if you don't go up and let the 1st or 2nd Battalion of the 522nd Regiment go up, can such an effect be achieved?
I want them to go, but they don't have the ability. At that time, there were hostages in Xiaoyangzhuang, and Baijia Town was in urgent need of support. In such an urgent situation, what do you think is wrong with my tactics? "
"this,......"
Zhu Shengzhong couldn't answer, because in his eyes, the two battalions of the 522nd Regiment were indeed inferior to the Independent Regiment.
But at the same time, without waiting for Zhu Shengzhong and others to say anything, Zhou Weiguo drew a circle in Baijia Town and said: "Let's talk about the battle in Baijia Town. There are Japanese planes above, and Japanese infantry soldiers outside the city. . Most of the anti-aircraft artillery in the city was going to deal with the Japanese planes. No one from the Japanese army outside stopped them.
I'm going to send my first battalion, or my second battalion, and they'll kill them all. By that time, once the Japanese outside the city are not blocked, then in today's battle in Baijia Town, we will not only suffer more than 300 casualties, but will most likely be wiped out.
You can say that I treat you as cannon fodder, but it is precisely because of your sacrifice that we are still confronting the Japanese in Baijia Town.
I don’t know if you have any questions, you can tell them. Although I don’t really like to express anything!
If I talk about the time I spent with Dragon Boat Festival, I may not have as long as you. But when it comes to feelings, I am the same as you. And this is why Duanwu dared to hand over so many of his brothers to me.
I can try my best to ensure that my brothers' lives are not wasted on the battlefield. But I can't guarantee that you will all go back alive. So now, if you are still questioning my command, please leave. If you go to find your group seat, I won’t stop you. "
"Hmph, are you still running?"
Zhu Shengzhong snorted coldly, but he didn't expect that he was angering Zhou Weiguo at this moment.
Zhou Weiguo was not a talkative person to begin with, but after talking so much with Zhu Shengzhong and others, he was already losing his patience. But Zhu Shengzhong was not satisfied yet, so this time, Zhou Weiguo became completely angry.
He threw the pen on the table and roared: "You are the only one who wants to run away. If Dragon Boat Festival hadn't handed you over to me, I wouldn't have bothered to care about you. Although my soldiers are not as flexible as your tactics, they will obey." Orders. As a soldier, it is your bounden duty to obey!..."
