Taiyuan, command post of the Eastern Group.

As we said earlier, Taiyuan is a city built in a basin.

The average height of the main urban area is 785 meters, while the highest point in the east is 920 meters. This means that if you stand on the high ground to the east, you can enjoy an unobstructed view of the city.

Such a special terrain, of course, the Eastern Group will make reasonable use of it.

On the heights around the city, the artillerymen set up a number of artillery observation posts.

Coupled with the detailed city defense map provided by the 1st Air Division, the brigade commander had the confidence to end the battle in 30 hours.

At this time, there were still fifteen minutes before the start of the general offensive. Brigade Commander Chen was standing on the top of the hill, his gaze slowly sweeping over the artillery positions below.

"Lao Chen, are you nervous?"

"It's okay, there's no shame. After all, this is the first time to attack a big city, and other troops may not be as good as us. ”

"I talked to Fang Ziyi of the 1st Air Division, and asked him to fire a few more rockets on the section of the 385th Brigade attacking, you can rest assured, hahaha."

After hearing the ridicule of his chief of staff, Brigade Commander Chen rolled his eyes angrily.

It is a fact that the Eighth Route Army lacked experience in attacking fortified cities, but its advanced equipment and sufficient logistical supplies could completely wipe out its only disadvantage.

What's more, for this battle, his good big brother pondered for two weeks. Almost all possible accidents are taken into account, and multiple sets of response plans are also made.

"Nervous? How can I be nervous, Yoshio Iwamatsu is the one who has no bottom in his heart! ”

"Isn't it just a siege, our brigade also fought Yangquan last year. This Taiyuan is just a bigger county seat. ”

"Pass me on orders! Make all artillery combat-ready! ”

"Yes!"

Following the order of Brigade Commander Chen, the artillerymen lifted the camouflage from their respective positions one after another.

A M1897 75mm cannon with a barrel pointed directly at Taiyuan City in the distance, and began to pour out anger after an order from the superiors.

Fifteen minutes later, the perspective returned to the 386th Brigade.

Having received a reply from the troops at all levels, the brigade commander did not hesitate to give the order to attack.

Today is a big day, and the brigade commander specially put on his favorite leather coat. At this time, his eyes were full of passion, and he strode up to the phone and shouted:

"The general offensive begins!"

"Bomb me for ten minutes! No one is allowed to stop without my orders! ”

As soon as the words were spoken, the roar of artillery rang out in the positions of the entire southern group.

This beautiful sound made the blood boil of every comrade who participated in the battle.

Except, of course, the logistics department.

In order to ensure sufficient firepower, the 129th Division not only took out all the money it had accumulated for a long time, but even borrowed 200 guns from the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region and the 120th Division.

In this way, only Zhang Wan and the injured world have reached.

In this campaign, there were 400 M1897 75mm cannons participating in the battle.

Excluding the western group defending along the Fen River and the northern group, which mainly engaged in feints, the eastern and southern groups could smash up to 29.2 tons of shells per minute on the heads of the devil defenders.

The First Army now has only 31 mountain, field, and howitzer guns, which is less than one-twentieth of the Eighth Route Army.

In order for the fighters to have sufficient shells, but also to prevent the phobia of insufficient fire of the TG. For the entire month of May, the Yellow River allowed only the military factories within the system to produce 75 Miss and artillery shells, and even the production line for the Hurricane was temporarily closed.

The Military Industry Bureau of the border region and the logistics department of southeastern Shanxi Province have also adjusted the focus of production, and all projects have to make way for the supply of artillery shells.

A moment later, the stormy cannonballs with a screaming sound that tore through the air fell on the fortress group outside Taiyuan City at multiple angles.

The various artillery regiments did not test fire in advance, and as soon as they came up, they were first covered by rapid-fire artillery fire. A single cannon with a rate of more than fifteen rounds per minute allowed smoke and exploding fireballs to rise over enemy positions.

The city walls, which had already experienced the baptism of fire in 1938, groaned in pain under the bombardment of shells.

The artillerymen of the Eighth Route Army are no longer the novices of the past, and the comrades have long since become perfect in their skills through combat training. As the observation post returned, one fort after another was named.

The devils who can't fight back can only wait to die in the fortifications that are not strong.

Shelling on such a scale is not a trivial effort by the brigade commander to hit mosquitoes with anti-aircraft guns.

As early as during the Battle of the Hundred Regiments, the war potential of the Eighth Route Army deeply shocked Yoshio Shinozuka.

At that time, the main force of the First Army was still facing the defenders of Guoguo near Nakajo Mountain, and he dreamed that his headquarters would be besieged.

In case of the three major base areas of the Eighth Route Army, a surprise attack was launched with 105 regiments. In the case that the other side does not count the losses, the troops of Taiyuan alone may not be able to hold it.

The threat of death made the First Army very active in repairing the turtle shell.

This old devil began to forcibly recruit people in September last year, and carried out a large wave of reinforcement of the defense of Taiyuan City, putting a thick layer of armor on the entire city.

Under his operation, Taiyuan City built a huge group of fortresses around the city. These masonry fortresses, one every thirty meters inside and outside the city walls, totaled more than 400.

There were also foxholes and shelters between the fortifications, which were connected by communication trenches and roads.

Just in case, the devils also laid a large number of mines and barbed wire fences around the perimeter.

In the entire city, only eight checkpoints are left for daytime use. At night, all transportation except military traffic is cut off, and it can be said that it is heavily guarded.

After Yoshio Iwamatsu took office, he expanded 27 reinforced concrete forts at key locations, once again strengthening the overall defensive strength.

Facing a large city with 10,000 troops and abundant supplies. If the 129th Division is still at the level of artillery towers before 1939, Taiyuan can be defended almost indefinitely.

In case the First Army is firmly defended, it is difficult to say whether the North China Front can turn the tables, but the time to recover Jin Province will most likely be delayed.

It's a pity that Yoshio Shinozuka seriously miscalculated the speed of the iteration of the Eighth Route Army's equipment.

Those seemingly sturdy fortification groups were completely built according to the firepower standards of the 129th Division during the Battle of the Hundred Regiments.

They are certainly fine against Type 92 infantry guns and 81mm mortars, but they can only rest in the face of M1897 75mm cannons.

The only thing that can be useful is the reinforced concrete fortress built during the Yoshio Iwamatsu period.

What's more, our army is no longer what it used to be, and in this campaign, it can not only send a large number of artillery, but also mobilize a large number of aircraft and engineers to participate in the battle.

If you count the mortars and the previously captured Type 92 infantry guns, then the 129th Division concentrated a total of 970 guns of various types on a breakthrough width of 1,500 meters.

Watching the fortresses collapse in the artillery, the brigade commander even let out a Li Yunlong-style laugh.

"Inform the 1st Air Division, let Captain Wang Hai set off in five minutes to help the infantry clean up the battlefield."

"Especially those reinforced concrete fortresses, which were not so easily pulled out by artillery. But the aerial bomb is different, no one can carry the 227 kg big guy. ”

"Let the soldiers also be ready to fight in coordination with the 1st Air Division and the artillery!"

"Yes!"

······

In the city of Taiyuan, the headquarters of the First Army of the North China Front.

Listening to the earth-shattering explosions that resounded in the sky outside the city, both the devils and the common people trembled, for fear that a shell would fall on their heads.

Although Iwamatsu Yoshio had long heard of the existence of the Eighth Route Army's artillery group, there was still a big difference between hearsay and what he saw with his own eyes.

"Boom!"

Just as the old devil was still carefully observing the battlefield, a huge explosion came from the left rear.

Looking back, his headquarters was gone. The opponent's artillery is like an eye in the sky, accurately delivering shells to a fixed area.

Even if a very small number of them deviated from the trajectory, there were no accidental injuries to civilians.

After all, within a radius of one kilometer, no people of the Republic of China dared to approach it. Fortunately, the other side seems to be afraid and will stop the shelling just by knocking down the landmark.

Moments later, screams and cries for help pulled Iwamatsu back to reality.

At this time, his heart was full of fear, if it wasn't for the better observation of the battlefield, he moved to the roof of a higher building. With that shot just now, you can definitely send yourself to see the locusts.

Looking at those French guns, ploughing their carefully prepared defensive positions over and over again, the old devil still showed an exaggerated expression of disbelief.

Now he is even beginning to doubt the previous ambitions, can the First Army really hold out for a month in the face of an offensive of this intensity?

"Your Excellency, except for the west side, all the fortifications around the city have been cut off from the headquarters."

"According to the forecast of the Operational Staff, if the Eighth Route Army can maintain the current intensity of artillery bombardment, we will lose more than eighty percent of the fortifications in five minutes."

"You see if the samurai need to be prepared for street battles and destroy the equipment and finished products of the major factories."

As soon as these words came out, Iwamatsu Yoshio's face completely darkened.

It is not surprising that the loss of contact with the front line is a matter of course, after all, the artillery fire of the other side is so fierce that the telephone line will be blown up no matter how deep it is buried.

What really made him angry was the flower valley in front of him.

As the chief of staff of the First Army, he thought about breaking the kettle only five minutes after the battle began. Judging from his twenty-three years of experience in the army, he has never seen such a strange senior commander.

If I had said what I had just said in front of the soldiers, I don't know how much morale would have been lost.

But now there is no time to complain about the pig teammates, if you can't counter the artillery of the Eighth Route Army in time, you don't have to fight the next battle. It would be better to commit suicide by seppuku, at least without being tortured.

After glaring at Hanayamasa, Iwamatsu Yoshio ordered:

"Raise the observation balloon and look for the artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army. Remember to remind our artillerymen that they must shift their positions after each return fire. The enemy must have means of detection, and everything must be careful. ”

"Let the remaining fighters and dive bombers strike, they know what they have to do."

"Now is not the time to prepare for street fighting, we still have hope of holding on!"

"Hey!"

After the stupid chief of staff left, Iwamatsu Yoshio sighed helplessly. In previous wars, artillery observation balloons were the weapons of the First Army.

The enemy's field units did not have medium-caliber anti-aircraft guns, let alone any fighters.

On a battlefield with air supremacy, there is no danger at all in using observation balloons, and your own artillery really means to hit wherever you want.

But now, the former big killer has been reduced to a one-time consumable.

The Wushu airfield was lost first, and the opponent's air force could attack at any time. The only remaining observation balloon will most likely only last for about ten minutes.

As for the remaining fighters and dive bombers, Iwamatsu Yoshio was not distressed at all.

Rather than being found by an enemy observation post, it was blown up in a makeshift hangar by artillery shells or aerial bombs.

It is better to let the members of the Army Aviation launch a suicidal attack to destroy several artillery positions while the opposing air force has not yet entered.

"I hope that Lieutenant General Gan Shigetaro and General Okamura Ninji can give some strength, our First Army is really exhausted."

"Pass my order, let Jia Gui's waste come out on patrol! Don't let the suspicious elements in the city make small moves, and strengthen the defenses of the major factories! ”

······

In the city, Wenying Park.

This is the oldest park in Taiyuan, and after 1938, the devils renamed it Xinmin Park. They destroyed many of the buildings and facilities in the park to make room for the training of new recruits.

At this time, nine devils in flight suits stood in front of a temporarily modified tarmac. They each have a bowl of sake in their hands and are discussing tactics.

This offensive is destined to go and there is no return, and this field airfield can barely take off. But even the most skilled people can't guarantee a smooth landing.

"Gentlemen, I think everyone already knows. Taiyuan is in danger, and North China is about to break away from the control of his brother. ”

"We can't control the tide of the battle, but we can at least buy some time for Lieutenant General Yoshio Iwamatsu. In this operation, our mission is to destroy the artillery units of the Eighth Route Army! ”

"Drink the wine in your hand! Get ready to strike! ”

As soon as these words came out, the eight members of the Army Airlines with the saluted flag turbans drank all the sake in the bowl. Then they slammed the bowl to the ground, their eyes full of frenzy.

Ice + wine, boundless mana.

Taking advantage of the moment when the ground crew team was preparing for the aircraft, the last army aviation major of the First Army began to tell the story.

"In 1934 and 1941, the evil Yuan Dynasty launched a war of aggression against us."

"Fortunately, with the blessing of the Shenwu Heavenly Locust, a divine wind was set off on the sea to repel the Yuan army, which saved our country from the fate of being annihilated."

"Now, everyone is the wind of His Majesty the Locust! I ask for one person, one machine, one ammunition, at least five artillery positions to be taken out! Do you understand? ”

"Hey! Long live Your Majesty the Locust! Long live the younger brother of Japan! ”

Amid the cheers of the Army Airlines, dozens of ground crews pushed three Type 97 fighters and six Type 97 fighters out of the hangar.

These nine are already the last aircraft of the First Army. This is also a loss of Iwamatsu Yoshio left a hand and gave up the airport to dismantle the plane in advance. Otherwise, you won't even be able to make one.

Under the expectant eyes of the ground crew, nine planes took off one after another in a very Showa manner and flew towards the artillery positions of the Southern Group.

"Your plane is the last bomb, we can't turn back, we can only die with the enemy!"

I wanted to get more shells and blow up for half an hour first.

But after calculating the weight, Miss 75 is too much to shell, and she is about to catch up with the European battlefield

(End of chapter)