Yuhuatai, Meigang.

Zhang Lingfu led the 305th Regiment to defend the front line of the Heding Bridge, although he was seriously wounded, he still refused to retreat, and won enough time for the friendly and neighboring troops to rebuild the fortifications in the rear, although they were repeatedly harassed by Japanese bombers, and the whole process was intermittent, but by noon, the fortifications of the 19th Brigade were basically completed.

Xu 19 and Qiu Weida's tactical thinking was the same, they both chose to build the fortifications in the middle of the hilltop platform, instead of building the fortifications on the ridge line connecting the platform with the hillside.

Student soldier Shu Tongwen also participated in the repair of the fortifications, and until the fortifications were completed, he couldn't help but ask Xu 19: "Captain, build the fortifications in the middle of the hilltop platform, and you can't see below the platform, can't Xiao Rijian calmly climb the hillside?" If the fortifications were built on the ridge line, wouldn't it be better to suppress the Japanese army? ”

Xu Jiujiu sighed and said: "If you build the fortifications on the ridge line, the firing range will indeed be better, but everything has advantages and disadvantages, your firing range is wide, which means that the enemy's firepower is more likely to threaten you, if our side has an advantage in firepower, it is nothing, but if our firepower is at a disadvantage, it will be troublesome." ”

Shu Tongwen understood one point, and suddenly realized: "I understand, if the fortifications are built on the ridge line, the Japanese army's grenadiers, flat-fire guns and even curved guns can achieve firepower coverage, and in the face of the Japanese army's absolute superiority in artillery firepower, our army will not be able to carry the simple fortifications built in a hurry."

However, it was not the same to build the fortifications in the middle of the platform, because of the blockage of the mountain, the Japanese army's anti-aircraft guns were useless in the first place, and in addition, the Japanese army's observation balloons were not as high as the top of the mountain, and the curved guns and field artillery of the small Japanese army could only carry out large-scale artillery bombardment without any target after losing the guidance of the artillery observers, and the threat would be greatly weakened. ”

For Xu Shijiu, who has systematically studied artillery courses, these are just common sense, but for Shu Tongwen, who has never been in contact with artillery courses, this is a completely unfamiliar field of knowledge.

Xu Shijiu patted Shu Tongwen's head lightly, and sighed: "Ah Wen, if it is possible, I really want to send you to West Point for further study, if you can study hard at West Point for three years, you will definitely become an excellent officer after graduation, if you want to defeat Xiao Ri Jianben, you can't do without an excellent young man like you." ”

Shu Tongwen cross-examined: "Captain, you don't seem to be big, right?" ”

Xu Shijiu smiled, noncommittal, although he is not very old, he has quite a lot of experience in the army, the key is that he has been deeply labeled as the "remnant of the Nineteenth Route Army", the rank of colonel and battalion-level commander are already the limit, and it is impossible for him to have greater development in the camp of the national army.

Shu Tongwen's attention quickly returned to the fortifications, and asked again: "The captain still has a question, the fortifications should be built into a zigzag shape, but not a few straight lines?" ”

Xu Shijiu said: "This is the same as the principle of marching in an open field in a 'zigzag' formation, if you take a straight line, the casualties will not be very large when strafing by enemy planes, and you can minimize the casualties by taking the 'zigzag' formation, and in the same way, building the fortifications into a 'zigzag' formation can also minimize the threat of Japanese planes diving and strafing." ”

"I see." Shu Tongwen nodded, then pointed to the deep holes dug separately in the trenches and asked, "What about these small holes?" What is it for? ”

Xu 19 explained: "This is called a lightning protection hole, a grenade dedicated to defending against Xiao Ri Ben, Xiao Ri Ben's melon grenade exploded forty-eight petals, and the lethality was extremely strong, so it was necessary to dig a special lightning protection hole, and as soon as Xiao Ri Ben's grenade was thrown over, it was kicked into the lightning protection slot, so that the fragments produced by the explosion were not threatened." ”

After a pause, Xu Shijiu continued: "But this lightning shelter can only be used to deal with Xiao Ri's new recruits, if they meet Japanese veterans, they usually delay for a few seconds after knocking on the fuse and then throw it over, so that the grenade thrown over will usually explode in the air, and the lethality is more powerful than the landing explosion." ”

Shu Tongwen's face changed slightly, and he said angrily: "We can also pull the grenade fuse and throw it out with a delay of a few seconds." ”

"I'm afraid not." Xu Shijiu shook his head gently, "Except for the grenades imported from Germany, whether they are made in Jinling, Gongxian or Hanyang, the quality is uneven, and the fuse extension is also irregular. ”

"Huh?" Shu Tongwen was stunned and said dejectedly, "Speaking of which, it's because our industrial base is too weak to make aircraft cannons or grenades of reliable quality." ”

Xu Shijiu said: "That's why I strongly oppose you students going to the battlefield, it is really not easy for the country to train college students like you, compared to fighting and fighting with the Japanese invaders, there are more important things waiting for you to do, such as developing the motherland's industry, building artillery, airplanes and even warships as soon as possible." ”

"How easy is it to build aircraft cannons?" Although Shu Tongwen's military camp training has not lasted long, he has been on the verge of life and death several times, compared to the scholarly atmosphere when he was on campus, he has become more mature in thinking at this time, and sighed, "Not to mention airplanes, artillery and warships, even the iron and steel national government can't refine it." ”

Xu Shijiu was silent, and when it came to major matters related to national strategy, he didn't know much

Shu Tongwen's words box was opened but a little uncontrollable, and he said angrily: "I've been confused, Xiaori is just a small island country, and its population and resources are far from enough to compare with my China, but Weishenme has developed a powerful heavy industry, aircraft, artillery and tanks can be produced in large quantities, and even the most advanced battleships can be built, while the heavy industry of our country is always zero, not to mention aircraft and artillery, warships and tanks, Even the steel used to make guns and ammunition needs to be imported from abroad, and weishenme will do this, weishenme?

During the Manchu Qing Dynasty, we were bullied, during the warlord melee, we were still bullied, and now that the Republic of China is over, the country has basically completed reunification, but Weishenme still has to be bullied? Captain, I really don't understand, what happened to the Chinese country, the once strong Chinese nation will be reduced to the fish and meat of the people? ”

Shu Tongwen couldn't figure it out, Xu Shijiu naturally couldn't understand it even more, and patted Shu Tongwen on the shoulder at the moment, and said: "These truths of saving the country and saving the people are up to you scholars to explore, when do you understand this, don't forget to tell me, I also want to know." ”

With that, Xu Shijiu turned around and left.

Shu Tongwen fell into a long deep thought, and he didn't even know when Xu Shijiu would leave, Shu Tongwen's confusion was actually the confusion of all knowledgeable, idealistic, and ambitious young people in modern China, Shu Tongwen had actually been exposed to all kinds of theories when he was studying at Peking University, but he had never seriously thought about it before.

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At noon on the 9th, Zhang Lingfu's 306th Regiment was ordered to retreat to the front line of Zangjia Lane and Yangzhuang due to too many casualties.

The 36th Infantry Wing of the Japanese Army tried to break through the defense line of the 306th Regiment in one fell swoop when the 306th Regiment was not firmly established, but was attacked by the 306th Regiment several decisive counter-assaults, and the position changed hands repeatedly, and the battle was extremely stale, and the Wing Commander of the 36th Infantry Wing of the Japanese Army, Wakisaka Jiro, saw that the bone of the 306th Regiment was too difficult to gnaw, so he set his eyes on the Yuhuatai on the flank of the 306th Regiment's position.

The Shanghai Dispatch Army and the Tenth Army were secretly competing with the two major Japanese groups, both wanting to capture Nanjing before the other side, and the divisions and regiments within the two Japanese groups were also secretly competing.

The 9th Division has four infantry wings, namely the 7th, 19th, 35th, and 36th wings.

The 7th Wing Captain Kazuo Izuo and the 19th Wing Wing Captain Hitomi Shuzo were classmates of Lushi 23, and the 35th Wing Captain Fujii Suekichi and the 36th Wing Captain Wakisaka Jiro were also Lushi 19 classmates, and the four Wing Captains were naturally divided into two camps and secretly competed with each other.

Because the 9th Division did not fight well in the Battle of Songhu and suffered the largest casualties among the divisions and regiments participating in the battle, the division commander Yoshizumi Ryosuke was under great pressure, and he was holding back enough strength to fight a turnaround battle in Nanjing, so he consciously secretly added fuel to the fire, contributing to the "jīlie" situation in which the commanders of the four major infantry wings competed for the first prize.

Of the four infantry wings of the 9th Division, the fastest one was the 19th Infantry Wing of Hitomi Xiuzo, which had already hit outside the Guanghua Gate, not because of how strong the combat effectiveness of the 19th Infantry Wing was, nor because of how superb the command attainments of Hitomi Xiuzo were, but because the luck of the 19th Infantry Wing was good enough.

The 51st Division retreated from Chunhua Town, and the Japanese 9th Division followed in pursuit, but was stubbornly blocked by Zhang Lingfu's 306th Regiment at Heding Bridge, and several fierce attacks failed.

The 88th Division and the 51st Division received the order to retreat almost at the same time, but the defense area of the 88th Division was outside the city wall, and they quickly withdrew into the city after receiving the order, but the defense area of the 51st Division was far away in Chunhua Town, and it took time to take over the defense area of the 88th Division.

Seeing that the team has hit the outside of Guanghua Gate, can Wakisaka Jiro not be in a hurry?

Wakisaka Jiro dreamed that he would be the first to enter the city of Nanjing and capture the first to capture Nanjing, so he quickly asked his adjutant to call his three captains to him.