The news that Xu Rui was shot in the head by a stray bullet and seriously injured was announced by Yang Banan, Chief of Staff of the Independent Regiment in the early morning. At this time, most people in Central China were still asleep, so it did not cause too much concern. There was a huge response, but it was foreseeable that as the news spread the next day, it would definitely trigger a round of panic.
Because in a sense, Xu Rui has almost become a spiritual symbol of China's war of resistance.
Xu Rui's serious injury or even death will greatly dampen the confidence and morale of the entire people.
Of course, what is even more serious is that Xu Rui's serious injury or even death will seriously dampen the morale of the Dameishan Independent Regiment, and will inevitably lead to a sharp deterioration of the situation in Feicheng. Not to mention the use of mourning soldiers, mourning soldiers sometimes become More tenacious, but more often vulnerable.
Throughout the history of war at home and abroad, there are far more cases of the collapse of the army than of the army's counterattack.
So, who can be sure that the Dameishan Independent Group will be a very small minority? Gu Shutong is not sure.
After receiving the news, Gu Shutong, who was the former deputy commander-in-chief of the enemy, broke out in a cold sweat. He immediately summoned the senior staff of the headquarters overnight to discuss countermeasures in order to reduce the negative impact of Xu Rui's serious injury as much as possible. Stabilize Feicheng's defense line and prevent the good situation of Fuyang and Mengcheng from being ruined as much as possible.
It's a pity that more than a dozen senior counselors have been arguing for several hours, but they can't come up with a single countermeasure.
Moreover, there is not much time left for the National Army, because the Japanese are about to take action.
At 4:30 in the morning, the darkest time before dawn, as a red signal flare was launched into the sky, nearly two hundred cannons from the 5th Brigade of the Independent Field Heavy Artillery and the 18th Regiment of the Field Artillery outside the east gate of Feicheng simultaneously fired Fired violently, dumping rows of artillery shells into the center and west of Feicheng City, which had already been bombed into ruins.
The little Japanese's artillery quality is really good, and he doesn't worry about accidentally injuring the Japanese in the east, south and north of the city.
In fact, the Japanese artillery shells did fall in the center and west of the city. Only Liao Liaoji's shells landed in the other areas, and did not cause accidental damage to the Japanese in these areas. Therefore, based on quality alone, Generally speaking, the Japanese artillery is indeed much stronger than the US artillery during the Pacific War.
The Japanese army was defeated in the Pacific War entirely because of its poor industrial strength.
If Japan could possess half of the industrial manufacturing capacity of the United States, the outcome of the Pacific War would be rewritten.
After the bombardment lasted for half an hour, the sky finally brightened. At this time, more than fifty attack planes from the 3rd Flying Regiment directly under the Central China Front also flew over Feicheng, first dropping more than 400 2o bombs on the center and west of the city. A kilogram or even 50 kilogram-level aerial bombs, after dropping the bombs, dive and straf.
The Japanese Air Force's dive and strafing lasted for half an hour before it ended.
Then, before the smoke cleared, an infantry brigade of the 47th Infantry Regiment of the Kumamoto Division stepped on the ruins and launched a fierce attack from more than a dozen street intersections to the independent regiment-controlled areas in the west of the city and the center of the city. Chief of Staff of the Kumamoto Division Huo Dazuo, the leader of the field, personally led more than a hundred death squads as the vanguard and was the first to break into the independent regiment's position.
After six consecutive days of fierce fighting, the officers and soldiers of the Independent Regiment had reached a limit both mentally and physically, and the personnel losses had reached a critical state. Therefore, facing the fierce attack of the Japanese army, the Independent Regiment seemed somewhat powerless. A stalemate can still form within an hour, and the resistance weakens significantly after half an hour.
Shimono Yihuo had experienced many battles and felt this subtle change keenly.
"Haha, the Chinese army has reached the end of its strength. They are almost unable to withstand it. They are almost unable to withstand it!" Shimoye Yihuo raised his head to the sky and laughed three times. He then pulled out his saber with his backhand and howled fiercely, "The whole army Assault, the whole army assault, assault, defeat the Chinese army in one go, defeat them, defeat them, defeat them... "
Accompanied by Shimono Yihuo's wild beast-like howl, groups of Japanese soldiers with bayonets in hand sprang up from the ruins, rubble and collapsed houses, scrambling to charge forward. In front, the independent regiment's firepower was obviously sparse. When they came down, except for dozens of rifles that were still firing, the machine guns were collectively muted.
In less than half a minute, more than a hundred Japanese soldiers had broken into the independent regiment's defensive position.
Perhaps due to Xu Rui's serious injury, the fighting spirit of the officers and soldiers of the Independent Regiment has obviously weakened. If it were normal, after the Japanese army broke into the defensive position, the officers and soldiers of the Independent Regiment would have launched a fierce counterattack and started a fierce hand-to-hand battle with the Japanese army. However, today, the officers and soldiers of the Independent Regiment However, the officers and soldiers of the regiment lost the courage to fight hand-to-hand and actually turned around and ran away.
After Shimono Yihuo discovered this, he was overjoyed. He stood up from behind the ruins with his saber in hand and joined the charge. Even though the old Japanese was already in his forties and running towards fifty, his steps were not slow. At a moment's notice, Ichiho Shimono rushed to the front of the team and was the first to rush into the headquarters of the independent regiment.
However, after killing two wounded members of the Independent Regiment at the door, Shimono Yihuo stopped his steps.
The old Japanese was just showing off, but now that the morale of the Japanese army has been fully restored, there is no need for him to take risks.
Looking back, Shimono Yihuo saw that the main force of the 47th Infantry Regiment had rushed up in a steady stream, and soon took control of the independent regiment headquarters and several surrounding blocks. By this time, the center of Feicheng City had basically fallen The control of the Japanese army also means the complete collapse of the defense system established by the independent regiment and supported by the regiment headquarters.
Five minutes later, the gunfire on the battlefield gradually became sparse, and the Japanese army began to clear out the stubbornly resisting Nationalist Army.
At this time, it was impossible for the battle situation to repeat itself. Shimoye Ichihuo breathed a long sigh of relief, and then turned around and said excitedly to the communications soldier: "Report to the division commander immediately, our army has successfully captured the city center!"
"Hai." The communication soldier paused heavily, then turned around and ran towards the east of the city.
(Dividing line)
Outside the east gate, the Kumamoto Division headquarters.
Inaba Shiro was already so excited that he rubbed his hands repeatedly.
Inaba Shiro had no idea that this morning's battle would go so smoothly. Less than half an hour after the bombing ended and the ground troops went into attack, the Kikuchi Brigade immediately sent a good news, claiming that they had captured the western part of the city. The unknown people who originally controlled the western part of the city The small number of armed troops were wiped out, and most of them fled from the west gate.
Immediately afterwards, another signal soldier came back and reported that there was also a breakthrough in the city center.
Ushijima Mitsuru said: "Division Commander, it seems that your previous judgment was correct. The unknown armed force that suddenly appeared outside the west gate last night was not reinforcements from the National Army at all, but just bandits. These bandits, some When there are bargains to be made, you are more aggressive than anyone else, but once there are no bargains to be made, you run faster than a rabbit."
"Yo Xi." Inaba Shiro nodded happily, raised his wrist and looked at his watch, and now the hand was pointing to ten o'clock. He said with confidence, "It seems that we don't have to wait until dark, it can be finished before noon. Fighting.”
"Hai." Ushijima Mitsuru said with a heavy tone, "I would like to congratulate the division commander first."
"Haha, Ushijima-san, you're so polite." Inaba Shiro said with a smile, "If the battle can be resolved before noon today, your 36th Infantry Brigade will be the first to succeed. I will personally go to the front army headquarters and the base camp to ask for it for you. achievement."
"Hai." Ushijima paused heavily, his face full of joy. If their 36th Infantry Brigade can really capture Feicheng before noon this time and capture or kill Xu Rui, it will definitely be a great achievement. With With this feat, he, Ushijima Mitsurugi, will definitely be promoted and will definitely reach the high position of division commander.
While speaking, a communications soldier rushed in breathlessly and reported: "Division commander, the 47th Infantry Regiment has captured the center of Feicheng City fifteen minutes ago, and the Dameishan Independent Regiment has been completely destroyed!"
"Nani?" Inaba Shiro and Ushijima Mitsuru were stunned at the same time.
The two old devils thought that the Kumamoto Division might end the battle before noon, but they never expected that before ten o'clock, the Dameishan Independent Regiment would be completely wiped out. Victory would be easier than imagined. In an instant, Inaba Shiro and Ushijima Mitsuru were completely filled with great joy.
Ushijima Mitsuru said excitedly: "Division Commander, it seems that the broadcast last night was true. Xu Rui was really seriously injured. Otherwise, the Dameishan Independent Regiment would never have been so helpless, even if there were only less than 500 left." The remnant soldiers, but if Xu Rui is here, they will have to resist until noon or even evening, and they will never fall apart so easily."
Inaba Shiro said: "It doesn't matter whether Xu Rui is seriously injured or not. What matters is that the imperial army has captured Feicheng. What matters is that the Feicheng Highway has been reopened. What matters is that the materials that landed from Wuhu have finally been It can be continuously transported northward to supply the 9th and 13th divisions of the northbound cluster!"
"Soga." Ushijima Mitsuru nodded happily, "Now it is the China Army's turn to have a headache."
"Order." Inaba Shiro suddenly turned around and ordered the communications staff officer standing behind him, "Immediately call the Central China Front Army Headquarters. At 9:58 in the morning, our unit successfully captured Feicheng. At this point, the Feicheng-Wuzhou Highway has been opened. The transport team stranded in Wuhu can immediately leave for the north."
"Hai." The communications staff officer paused heavily, turned around and left.
Inaba Shiro turned to Ushijima Mitsuru and said, "Ushijima-san, let's go into the city and have a look."
"Hai." Ushijima Mitsuru paused slightly and said with emotion, "Whether it is from the past achievements or from the battle situation in Feicheng this time, Xu Rui is an opponent worthy of our respect. I can't wait to see you now." Let’s meet this person and see what kind of person he is, who can actually defeat the imperial army repeatedly?”
Inaba Shiro smiled reservedly, he was also eager to see Xu Rui.
At this moment, if there is no Xu Rui, the biggest loser, to set off the victory of the Kumamoto Division, and if there is no Xu Rui to set off the victory of Inaba Shiro, it would be too boring. (To be continued.)