At dusk, in the San Francisco City Command, the telephone rang endlessly, and the situation on the battlefield was fed back to the headquarters from time to time. "Report 501, the effect of launching an attack on the entire line of Bald Ridge is not ideal, and the US defense is very tenacious. The U.S. forces and our troops repeatedly fought for surface positions, with the result that our troops were blocked on all fronts. Commander Lei suggested that the attack on all fronts after dark be changed to a focused attack, and they asked for approval. A combat staff officer reported. Nie Fengwu's eyes were fixed on the map, and he was silent.

The chief of staff pointed to the map and said: "The U.S. defense in front of Bald Ridge has about 5 divisions and about 55,000 troops. According to Commander Lei's report, the general situation of the US military's defense was basically clarified. The U.S. military's defensive system consists of a surface position and a core position. The U.S. military is strong in strength and has formed a capable reserve. As long as the surface position is lost, the immediate organization force will be repeatedly contested, and then it will be difficult for our army to gain a foothold after breaking through the position. The strength of our army to attack on all fronts is insufficient, do you want to invest more troops? ”

"No, the reinforcements of the American army will arrive soon, and the repeated battles are still to come, and our defending troops will carry out a polemic, after all, we have limited troops. Commander Zhuang was ordered to change the attack on the whole front to a focused attack, and asked them to come up with a specific combat plan and report it to the headquarters. Nie Fengwu continued: "Inform the 2nd Field Army and let them get ready, and after taking the Balling defense line, they will immediately take over the defense." The U.S. military will not let us gain a foothold, and we must be prepared for continuous operations. ”

In the front-line headquarters, the sound of gunfire stopped for a while, and occasionally there was sporadic artillery sound from American troops. At this time, the commander of the 4th Division and the commander of the 5th Division of the 2nd Field Army stood in front of him with a depressed face. The war is unfavorable, the offensive is unfavorable. Make their expressions solemn. Zhuang Lei took a few steps on the ground and stopped: "Due to the combat radius of carrier-based aircraft, we do not have air support operations to provide strong assistance, especially under the attack of US artillery fire. Our attack was difficult. During the landing operation, we learned the power of the US heavy artillery, and this was the biggest difficulty we faced. ”

Zhuang Lei continued: "The U.S. military's support artillery response is so sensitive, which shows that the U.S. military's infantry artillery is very coordinated. During the day, the U.S. military is easy to observe, and their observation posts are of extremely high quality. In addition, the U.S. military is strong and repeatedly fought for once the surface position is breached. It is also the reason why our offense is not good. During the day, we had only one brigade of support artillery, which was simply unable to suppress the American artillery fire, and after dark the 2nd Artillery Division all entered the position. The command has approved our operational plan. Changed the attack on all fronts to a focused breakthrough. ”

"We're going to concentrate all our artillery fire and hit a little harder. The 4th Division served as the main attack, and the key breakthrough was made. The 5th Division served as a feint. Zhuang Lei walked to the map and continued: "It is required to take the 22nd height, the 24th height, and the 27th heights in the middle of the Balling defense line before dawn tomorrow, so as to create conditions for attacking on both sides during the day tomorrow." It's six o'clock in the evening, and the attack is launched on time at seven o'clock. There is still an hour left before the time to launch the attack. Go back and get ready! The two division commanders raised their hands and saluted and left, and Zhuang Lei picked up the phone and reported to the headquarters.

At night, the stars blink and twinkle their eyes, peering at everything on the ground. On the forward attack position, the 10th Infantry Brigade is retreating. They were so tired from a day's attack that they had to be withdrawn to rest. The 13th Infantry Brigade was changing rooms, the two teams alternating between them, the darkness of the night enveloping their figures, and the steel helmets glowing eerily in the moonlight. on artillery positions. Hundreds of cannons raised their muzzles, gunners, loaders, sighters entered combat readiness. Once again, the atmosphere before the attack was tense.

The headquarters of the U.S. Army is located in a small town about 30 kilometers south of the Bald Mountains. At this time, the atmosphere in the US military headquarters was also very tense. Although it withstood the frantic attack of the enemy during the day, it was obtained with bloody fighting, and the American army suffered more than 5,000 casualties in the battle during the day, which shows how cruel the battle was...... "The Oakland command reported that the 65th Brigade entered the city, and they were attacked by enemy planes in the northeast direction, and the trucks were almost completely destroyed, with more than 500 casualties. ”

"How's the dock going?" Shaq asked. "The Auckland command reported that the docks had been re-taken control and that the enemy had launched a feint with the aim of seizing food. According to the search, the grain on the docks, including the grain from the warehouse, was removed. Shaq glared at bloodshot eyes and said, "Order the Auckland defenders to fortify the docks from scratch to prevent the enemy from attacking again." Washington called, a military train arrived in Oakland at midnight, and the army was loaded with mines. The defenders of Auckland were ordered to lay mines in the dock harbor before dawn. ”

Han Ruowei said: "General Shaq, the enemy is robbing food, and he must hold on to San Francisco for a long time. They must have thought that the storm season would come and the transportation would be disrupted. The purpose of the enemy's attack was to capture the Balling defensive line. We must not allow the enemy's objectives to be achieved, and the 17th Army and the 18th Army of the 5th Army will arrive in four days, so we must secure our defensive line. During the day we withstood the onslaught of the enemy, and the enemy would not rest on his laurels. The enemy is good at night fighting, and the battle will be more intense at night. ”

"I have ordered the 12th, 16th, 28th, and 42nd Brigades of the National Army to change their guard and maintain strong combat effectiveness. The enemy lost air aid, and the attack power was greatly reduced, and I was confident that I would hold the Bald Ridge defensive line. "The enemy is very cunning, and he must not be taken lightly." Han Ruowei knew in his heart that the enemy's sudden cessation of attack must have changed tactics. It is unknown what tactics the enemy used, and the onset of night cast a shadow over Han Ruowei's heart.

Suddenly, there was thunder in the north, and everyone pricked up their ears in unison. The phone rang, and an operational staff officer put down the phone and said: "Report, the front command has reported that the enemy has launched a large-scale artillery bombardment of the central defense line. Han Ruowei's eyes looked at the map and said, "General Shak, the enemy may use the central breakthrough." If the 22nd, 24th, and 27th heights in the center were lost, the entire Balling defense line would be cut off, and the enemy's aim was to open a gap in the middle of the defense line, and then expand to the two flanks, and then cause the entire defense line to collapse. ”

Hearing this, Shaq immediately picked up the phone and ordered the reserves to immediately reinforce the central defensive line. "General Shaq, the enemy is using a key breakthrough, and our supporting artillery fire is scattered throughout the defensive line, so we should immediately order the artillery to concentrate on the central defensive line." Han Ruowei has a clear mind. Then the phone rang again??????。 "The enemy attacked, the surface positions were captured by the enemy, the enemy artillery fire extended and the artillery fire was very fierce, and the counterattacking troops were hit by artillery fire. The news of bad news kept coming, and everyone in the headquarters became nervous.

Heavy artillery fire formed a meteor shower in the air, and after the artillery fire extended, the 11th Infantry Brigade attacked. The vegetation on the first line of the bald ridge is very lush, and the Mediterranean climate is distinct. There are no tall shrubs in this area, but the dwarf trees are very dense. During the daytime attack, the trees on the surface positions of the American troops were almost destroyed by the fire, the explosion tossed the soil, and many trees were blown down, and the trees that were not blown down were bare with bare trunks. Intensive artillery fire almost plowed the surface positions, and the American defenders on the positions suffered heavy casualties.

Taking advantage of the darkness of the night, the soldiers rushed and occupied the surface positions of the American troops in less than an hour. The U.S. counterattack unit was hit by extended artillery fire, and the intensity of the counterattack was greatly reduced. Soldiers rushed to surface positions, blocking the American counterattack while clearing the remnants of American troops in bunkers and tunnels. At about 21 o'clock, the US troops were forced to stop counterattacking the surface positions, and Zhuang Lei, the army headquarters, received a report of occupying the surface positions of the US troops, and immediately ordered the 12th Brigade of the 4th Division to pull up and cooperate with the 11th Brigade to launch an assault on the 22nd, 24th, and 27th heights respectively.

The battle became more and more intense, and an attack on the core positions of the American army was launched, and the offensive slowed down significantly. "What? The fire was too heavy and the attack was blocked. I don't want to hear that. If your flag cannot be planted on the enemy's position before dawn, come to me with your head raised. Zhuang Lei put down the phone, and his anger was still gone. Commander, the resistance of the American army is so stubborn, we are mentally prepared not to put pressure on the front-line commanders. "It's not me who puts pressure on them, it's the pressure that time puts on me, it's the pressure on the entire expeditionary force, if we can't take the Bald Ridge defense line on time, the losses will be even greater."

On Heights 22, the soldiers rushed up the hill, and American reinforcements poured in from the other side, and hand-to-hand combat broke out on the mountain. Soldiers on both sides continued to pour up the hill, and the battle entered a white heat. The bayonet skills of the soldiers of the Hand-to-hand Empire were displayed in great prowess, and the sound of bayonets inserting into flesh was everywhere, and screams were everywhere. In such a tragic battle, the American soldiers were timid. At 10 midnight, the US command received news of the capture of Heights 22. "Order the counterattack troops, and immediately retake Heights 22 for me!" Shaq is like a roaring lion.

"Report, the 12th Brigade suffered 40 percent casualties, and it is no longer able to launch a counterattack!" An operational staff officer reports. "Order the 15th Brigade to replace the 12th Brigade and make sure to recapture Heights 22." Shaq was a little unconfident, and his voice was an octave lower. Han Ruowei knew in his heart that it would be easier said than done if the position was lost, and it was impossible for the American soldiers to launch an attack in such a tragic state of fighting. "Report, the enemy rushed to the 27th good heights." Shaq sat down in his chair in a decadent manner.

Han Ruowei looked at the map, and it seemed that Heights 27 would soon be lost, so Heights 24 would not be guaranteed without the echoes of both sides. The middle line of defense is breached, and the entire Balling defense line is probably a matter of time. But Han Ruowei didn't know what to say, and he didn't know how to comfort Shaq. He knew that he had done his best, and that the U.S. troops had reached their limits in tenacious combat. You must know that this is only a second-line army, thinking of this, Han Ruowei felt a lot more relaxed.

Army Command, "Report, Heights 27 has been taken!" A combat staff officer put down the phone and said happily. Zhuang Lei let out a sigh of relief when he heard this: "Order the 5th Brigade of the 13th Division to go out and enter the breakthrough." The 14th and 15th brigades continued their feints. Zhuang Lei glanced at his watch, and the time was almost 3 o'clock in the morning. He knew that there was no suspense in the battle. Zhuang Lei sat on the chair, his eyelids were heavy, and he immediately fell asleep. The chief of staff lightly covered Zhuang Lei with a blanket, and at the same time signaled everyone to be light-hearted. (To be continued......)

PS: Bald Ridge must be taken to ensure that San Francisco is solid.