When General Uchiyama Kojiro led the Japanese 12th and 18th Divisions to attack Okawa City, the commander of the Japanese 3rd Army on Kyushu Island, Hongo Botaro, also led four Japanese divisions from the Chikuho area to attack the main force of the Imperial Army's 1st Army. The 3rd Army of the Japanese Army on Kyushu Island was mainly composed of the 23rd, 24th, 25th and 37th Divisions of the Japanese Army.

These four divisions and regiments were all second-line divisions formed later. However, because the 23rd Division and the 37th Division were both organized in Kumamoto, their combat effectiveness was quite strong. The combat effectiveness of the 3rd Army of the Japanese Army on Kyushu Island is also passable.

General Hongo Botaro led his army from the Chikuho area, crossed the Miguni Mountains, and occupied Chikushino City, cutting off the Imperial Army's 1st Army from Fukuoka. Subsequently, General Botaro Hongo left a brigade in Chikushino City to defend here, and he led the main force of the 3rd Army to the main force of the 1st Army of the Imperial Army. If the main force of the 1st Army of the Imperial Army could be wiped out in one fell swoop, then the Japanese army would have won the battle.

At this moment, on the west bank of the Chikugo River on the other side of Kurume, the 1st Army of the Imperial Army had only three infantry divisions here, as well as the 1st Heavy Artillery Brigade, the 1st Cavalry Brigade, part of the 1st Armored Brigade and some units directly under the Army. The total number of troops is only more than 100,000. In terms of troops, the Japanese 3rd Army on Kyushu Island did not have any advantage at all. However, General Botaro Hongo believed that the main force of the 1st Army of the Imperial Army had been transferred out of Okawa City. The rest of the troops are nothing more than a rabble. Not their opponent at all.

Therefore, General Bentaro Hongo led the main force of the 3rd Army and slaughtered with great momentum, preparing to defeat the main force of the 3rd Army of the Imperial Army in one fell swoop.

From Chikushino City to the garrison of the 1st Army of the Imperial Army, it is only a little more than ten kilometers. On the evening of September 7th. The armies of both sides encountered. The commander of the 1st Army of the Imperial Army, General Shi Qingshan, did not take a defensive position, but attacked against attack.

The 1st Army of the Imperial Army, with the 1st Medium Tank Battalion and the 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion of the 1st Armored Brigade as the vanguard, the 16th Infantry Division of the Imperial Army as the main force, and the 46th Infantry Division and the 61st Infantry Division as the left and right flanks, launched a direct attack on the Japanese army. 1st Cavalry Brigade. It was responsible for a roundabout attack, preparing to cut off the retreat of the Japanese army. Admiral Ishiyama planned to annihilate the Japanese 3rd Army on Kyushu Island in one fell swoop, not giving them a chance to escape.

As the sun sets, the Tsukushi Plain is a beautiful sight. However, more than 200,000 people on both sides started a life-and-death battle here. The tragic war will undoubtedly scorch this rich plain.

Of course, this is a war fought on the soil of the Japanese, even if it is badly damaged. The Imperial Army wouldn't care. It's as if the Japanese were waging war on the territory of the empire at will.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! "The 155mm heavy howitzers of the 1st Heavy Artillery Brigade of the Imperial Army are roaring, and heavy artillery is smashing heavy shells at each other. Although, the Japanese army had four divisions and regiments, with a total of more than four hundred artillery pieces. However, these cannons were generally 75 mm field guns and 105 mm light howitzers. There are only a few dozen of them. In the face of heavy artillery bombardment by the Imperial Army, they could not take advantage of anything at all. On the contrary, they are at a disadvantage.

Previous artillery battles had long proven that the Japanese were no match for the Imperial Army at all.

By 6:25 p.m., the Japanese artillery had been suppressed by the artillery of the Imperial Army. At this time, the 1st Medium Tank Battalion and the 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion of the 1st Armored Brigade attacked, and several infantry regiments of the 16th Infantry Division followed behind the armored units. Wait until the armored forces tear through the Japanese defenses, and then expand the results.

The Japanese 3rd Army did not have time to build their defensive line at all, and many Japanese soldiers just lay on the ground and shot. In the previous shelling, they had already suffered heavy losses. This time. In the face of the attack of the armored forces of the Imperial Army, they were even more unable to resist.

In the rear of the Japanese army, General Botaro Hongo was watching the battle. General Hongo Botaro was very satisfied that the Imperial Army dared to engage in a field battle with them. After all, the firepower of the Chinese Army is very strong, this is a well-known thing. Therefore, the Chinese army was on the defensive, and when the Japanese army attacked, they often suffered very badly. This also made many Japanese generals believe that the reason why the Chinese Army was able to defeat the Japanese Army many times was because of this reason. If the two sides were to fight in the field, the victory would definitely belong to the Japanese Army.

"Humph! The people of China are clearly carried away and do not measure their own strength. Do they think they can defeat us in the field? It's simply delusional. Soon, they will know how inferior their field strength was compared to the Imperial Japanese Army. General Hongo Fangtaro said confidently. If he was only 50% sure of winning before. Now, he's 70 percent sure of winning.

"Prepare the ministries for the sake of defeating the Shina in this battle! Let them know that the Imperial Army of the Great Japanese Empire is invincible! General Hongo Botaro ordered.

"Hi, Your Excellency, Commander." Several division commanders shouted one after another. Their faces were also full of confident expressions. It was as if victory was imminent.

However, when dozens of tanks and dozens of armored vehicles of the Imperial Army began to charge, the Japanese officers and soldiers on the front line were already frightened and stupid.

"What's that?" Many Japanese officers and soldiers saw tanks and armored vehicles for the first time.

"Isn't that the same chariot that appeared on the battlefields of Europe? The people of China are actually also equipped with chariots, and there are quite a few of them. "Some Japanese officers know this very well.

However, it then occurred to them that the Japanese Army simply did not have the weapons to deal with these armored forces! Especially in the field, there are simply no obstacles to stop those tanks and armored vehicles. If the Japanese army wants to resist these tanks, I am afraid that they will have to rely on flesh and blood. And can flesh and blood stand up to steel? That's obviously impossible.

"Quick, quickly report to His Excellency the Commander, the people of China have put in a large number of chariots, and we need reinforcements." The commander of the front line shouted in horror.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! ”

The 57mm guns of the No. 3 tanks were capable of firing not only armor-piercing shells, but also grenades against soft targets such as machine-gun fire points, pillboxes or soldiers. Because the Japanese don't have many combat vehicles, and even if they do, they are only light tanks like the Renault F17 that are legal. Therefore, the armored forces of the Imperial Army did not prepare many armor-piercing shells at all, but more grenades.

"Boom!" A point of machine-gun fire was hit and exploded directly into the sky.

"Fire, return fire!" The commander of a Japanese army gave the order.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! ”

Above the Japanese position, the brave soldiers used their rifles to fire at the tanks. However, when the bullet hit the tank, it did not cause any damage to the tank at all, except for a dazzling spark and a little paint knocked off.

"Da Da Da!" Heavy machine guns also fired. However, the bullets from these heavy machine guns hit the steel plate of the tank and only made a clanging sound.

Such a scene made the Japanese officers and soldiers stunned. It was the first time they had seen such a scene. These iron guys are simply invulnerable! How does this make them fight?

"Boom!" A 60-mm mortar shell hit the front of a tank No. 3.

"Hit! Banzai! We have hit the chariot of the Chinensis. ”

The officers and men of the Japanese army cheered one after another.

But then they were dumbfounded. The No. 3 tank, which had been hit, only paused. After the smoke cleared, a blackened mark appeared on the steel plate in front of the tank. But then, the tank went on moving. Tank guns, you can still have a meeting. The heading machine guns at the front also continued to strafe the Japanese positions.

"Yaga! Can't even a cannon be destroyed? In that case, how can this battle continue? A Japanese soldier shouted in horror.

The armored units of the Imperial Army easily rushed into the positions of the Japanese army. The tracks of the tank, crushed past the bodies of the Japanese soldiers, leaving a long bloody trail. The tank guns fired at the machine-gun fire points, destroying them. The course machine guns fired frantically at the Japanese soldiers, killing them all.

This is clearly an asymmetrical battle. The weapons in the hands of the Japanese army were not at all a threat to these armored units. Their counterattack seemed so fragile that it was easily crushed by the armored forces of the Imperial Army.

Armored vehicles also drove into the positions of the Japanese troops, constantly shooting at the Japanese troops with machine guns. At the same time, the infantry inside was also able to use the firing holes on both sides of the armored vehicle to continuously pour fire on those Japanese troops.

The infantry, which followed behind the armored units, also attacked the Japanese positions and began to expand the victory. It can be said that under the attack of the armored forces of the Imperial Army, the defense of the Japanese army was torn apart at once.

Subsequently, the armored forces attacked directly to the place where the main forces of the Japanese army were assembled, constantly interspersed, and divided the Japanese army into small pieces. The infantry in the rear followed, encircling and annihilating the divided Japanese troops. With such a style of play, the Japanese army was dizzy. The four divisions of the Japanese army, more than 100,000 people, were easily defeated. At half past seven in the evening, the 3rd Army on the island of Kyushu had already suffered heavy losses in several divisions and had to retreat. (To be continued.) )

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