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The 1st Infantry Division of the Jilin Army, in addition to the division commander Major General Shi Deshan, also has Colonel Sun Baihu, chief of staff, Colonel Tan Guowei, commander of the 11th Regiment, Colonel Guan Haiqing, commander of the 12th Regiment, and Colonel Zeng Youyi, commander of the 13th Regiment. These people were all middle- and low-level officers of the former Fengtian Patrol Battalion, and they were all people under Wu Xingquan. After the expansion of the Jilin Army, they naturally rose to a higher level.

It's just that these officers are all old-style officers, and they are all lacking in ability. After the establishment of the Jilin Army Military Academy, they were all thrown into the military academy for several months of training. After being promoted, he was initially able to take up his current position. Of course, in the long run, if these people want to move to a higher position, they need to constantly strive to improve.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the young marshal has sent a telegram, and the young marshal is very satisfied with the victory of the 11th regiment. However, the young marshal asked us not to be careless in the next battle. After all, the second division of the Japanese army is the elite division of the Japanese army, and it is definitely not easy to deal with. Whether our 1st Infantry Division can make a name for itself depends on tomorrow's battle. Major General Shi Deshan said.

"Division commander, the instructor of the follow-up 8th Infantry Division and the young marshal, isn't it tomorrow and the day after tomorrow? By then we will have three divisions, are we still afraid of the second division of the Japanese? Colonel Tan Guowei said.

"The young marshal's plan is not just to resist the Japanese Second Division. Instead, they wanted to eat the second division of the Japanese army in one bite. Therefore, those who really resist the attack of the 2nd Division have to rely on our 1st Infantry Division. The 8th Infantry Division and instructors will be tasked with encirclement and annihilation. And what we have to do is to let the Japanese army shed as much blood as possible in Liaoyang City. Chief of Staff Colonel Sun Baihu said.

"Encircling and annihilating the second division of the Japanese army, this is a big deal! Even in the Russo-Japanese War, when the Japanese suffered so many losses, not a single division was completely annihilated. If we can do it, it will really break the myth of the invincibility of the Japanese army. Colonel Zeng Youyi said with a smile. He was born in the Japanese Army Non-commissioned Officer School, so he naturally knew how much shock it would cause to Japan if a Division A was annihilated or completely annihilated by a local Chinese unit such as the Jilin Army.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, the 29th Wing of the Japanese Army has been crippled by us. The next thing we have to deal with is the other three wings of the Japanese Second Division. We were on the defensive, and there was strong fire cover. Even if we can't beat the Japanese, it's still no problem for the Japanese to hit their heads on our defensive line and bleed. Next, it is up to the chief of staff to arrange the specific defense. Major General Shi Deshan said.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are in Liaoyang, and there are three lines of defense. The first line of defense was the Shahe Line. Although the Sand River is not wide, it is now the flood season, and the bridge on the river has been blown up, and the Japanese army has to spend a lot of effort to cross the river. The second line of defense is the first line of Shoushan and Longding Mountain. We have fortifications on Shoushan and Longding Mountain, and if the Japanese army wants to attack Liaoyang, it must first break through the second line of defense. The third line of defense is Liaoyang City. We have built a number of fortifications in the city in preparation for street fighting with the Japanese army. However, we hope to be able to hold off the Japanese in the first and second lines of defense, preferably in order to exhaust the living forces of the Japanese army. Colonel Sun Baihu said.

Next, let's talk about the specific arrangement. The 12th and 13th regiments were stationed in the Shahe defense line and deployed along the Shahe River to block the Japanese army. The divisional artillery battalion will be strengthened to you to deal with the Japanese shelling. The 11th Regiment was stationed in the second line of defense. At the same time, the flanks of the first line of defense should be guarded, and if the Japanese adopted the tactics of outflanking, the 11th Regiment should resist the Japanese with strong forces and create favorable conditions for the retreat of the front-line troops. For the time being, the defense of Liaoyang City was under the responsibility of the division's reconnaissance battalion and guard company. At the same time, the division's reconnaissance battalion and guard company, as well as baggage troops, etc., are also our last reserves. Colonel Sun Baihu said.

"Everyone's clear, right?" Major General Shi Deshan glanced at everyone.

"Clear!" Several regimental commanders replied loudly.

"So be it. Tomorrow, it's up to you to perform. "Major General Shi Deshan is full of confidence in tomorrow's battle. After the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese army was called the strongest army in East Asia and the strongest army in the world. However, Major General Shi Deshan believes that the Jilin Army is no worse than the Japanese army except for its heritage. Tomorrow's battle is the time to prove it all.

The Shahe River is a tributary of the Taizi River, which originates in the Changbai Mountains. The Sand River is not wide, and even if it is the season of high water, the width of the river is only thirty or forty meters. The water is not deep, except in a few places, and at most it is drowned by people's shoulders. If it's a dry season, you can easily wade through. However, it is the end of August, and the bridge must be built. Otherwise, it can easily be washed away.

On the morning of August 29, just after dawn, the Japanese army arrived not far from the Shahe River. To the north of the Shahe River is the position of the Jilin Army. More than 10,000 men from the 12th and 13th regiments, as well as the divisional artillery battalions, have been stationed in the defensive line. Although, the defense line is nothing more than a simple trench with barbed wire. However, there is a sand river, and it is not so easy for the Japanese army to cross the sand river.

"The people of China blew up the bridge over the river, and the reconnaissance unit reported that there was no intact bridge all the way down to the Taizi River downstream. Tell me, what should we do? Lieutenant General Masatoshi Matsunaga, commander of the 2nd Division, asked.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, if it's in the dry season, we can go over directly. But now, you can only use boats. We transported a group of troops over, seized the beachhead, and then the engineer wing was responsible for erecting the pontoon bridge. However, the Chinese have deployed heavy troops on the north bank, and I am afraid that the full support of artillery units will be needed to defeat the Chinese people. Chief of Staff Ikuta Meshin Osaku said.

Vice Admiral Masatoshi Matsunaga nodded, then asked, "How many ships have you collected?" ”

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, when the people of China retreated, they destroyed all the boats along the river. The engineering wing and other units worked hard all night, but only about two hundred small boats were built. Fortunately, the Sand River is not wide, only a few tens of meters. If you paddle with all your might, you can spend less than two minutes. As long as they can break through the defense line of the people and establish a beachhead, the sappers will be able to erect pontoon bridges directly. Ikuta Meshin said.

"Let General Hanoi prepare for the attack. In addition, the field artillery wing and the field heavy artillery brigade were all thrown into the battlefield to let those damned Shina people know how good we are. Masatoshi Matsunaga ordered.

"Hi, Your Excellency Division Commander!" Ikuta Meshin Osa nodded, and immediately asked someone to convey the order.

Less than two kilometers away from Shahe, the field artillery wing and field heavy artillery brigade of the Japanese Second Division had already set up artillery positions, and 54 Meiji 31-year 75-mm field guns and 18 105-mm light howitzers imported from France had entered the positions, and the muzzles of the guns were pointed north, and they had adjusted their firing units. As soon as the order was given, the seventy-two cannons were ready to fire.

Major General Ryzo Kawachi of the 15th Brigade of the Japanese Army, personally arrived at the front. Today's offensive will be completed by the 15th Brigade. The 16th Infantry Wing will attack first, with the 30th Infantry Wing acting as a reserve.

"Nagata-kun, it's up to you next. Break down the defense line of the Shina people, and you will be the hero of the Great Japanese Empire. Major General Ryzang Hanoi said.

"Your Excellency, Brigade Commander, you will definitely defeat the people of China and let them know the power of the warriors of the Great Japanese Empire." Wing Commander of the 16th Infantry Wing, Katsunaka Nagata, patted his chest and reassured.

Just after 7:30 a.m., the Japanese army had already completed preparations for the attack. The officers and men of the 16th Infantry Wing of the Japanese Army, who had eaten rice balls, had already entered the starting position. Some Japanese soldiers carried small wooden boats made by the engineering wing, a total of more than 100 boats. Another 100 small wooden boats were assigned to the 30th Wing. This small wooden boat is no more than five meters long and just over a meter wide. It can carry up to 10 people. If it carries more, it is estimated that the ship will capsize. In addition, the seaworthiness of this small wooden boat is needless to say, it is no problem to use it in a small ditch like the Sand River, and if you really reach the big river, you will definitely be overturned by the wind and waves.

"Fire!" At 7:40 a.m., the commander of the field artillery wing of the 2nd Division of the Japanese Army gave the order to open fire.

The 18 105-mm light howitzers and 54 75-mm field guns deployed on the positions began to frantically pour artillery fire on the positions of the Jilin Army. Among them, the kilometer-long defense line defended by the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Regiment became the target of the Japanese army's key artillery bombardment. The Japanese army concentrated its firepower on this area, undoubtedly in order to completely destroy this section of the fortifications and create favorable conditions for the Japanese army to cross the river.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! ”

Dense artillery shells exploded on the defense line of the Jilin Army, and clusters of fireballs rose in the position, the wind howled, and the earth and rocks splashed. In particular, the devil's 105-mm light howitzer is much more powerful than those mountain artillery, and a bomb crater is a bomb when it goes down.

Even though the officers and men of the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Regiment had already taken refuge in the anti-artillery holes, they did not cause much damage. But the positions that had been built so hard were blown up a lot.

The commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Regiment immediately requested artillery fire support to suppress the devil's artillery.

In fact, when the Japanese artillery began to fire, the artillery battalion of the 1st Infantry Division was already preparing for a counterattack. 36 105-mm light howitzers have been raised, and the artillery staff is calculating the position of the Japanese artillery according to the ballistics.