PFC Chapter 217 Light-Speed Advancement, Japanese Reinforcements Depart
Chapter 217 Light-Speed Advancement, Japanese Reinforcements Depart
In a Japanese stronghold west of Huainan City, the Japanese company commander stationed there was looking through binoculars at the distant highway.
When he saw the rolling tide of armored vehicles and the dust billowing everywhere, he subconsciously swallowed.
An unprecedented feeling of suffocation instantly gripped his heart, making it difficult for him to breathe.
"Damn it! Is this still the Chinese army?" he couldn't help but curse out loud, his voice filled with terror.
He had no idea that the 105mm howitzers of the Third Column had already marked this stronghold as the first target to be destroyed.
"Boom—!!!"
A deafening barrage of artillery fire suddenly erupted, and several shells landed precisely in the Japanese stronghold.
The violent explosion instantly engulfed the entire stronghold, and the brick and stone pillbox collapsed amidst the gunfire.
The Japanese soldiers stationed inside were either crushed to death by the collapsing bricks and stones, or torn apart by the shockwave of the explosion.
The piercing screams rose and fell, but were quickly drowned out by the continuous explosions.
Before the smoke from the artillery bombardment had even cleared, the tank group of the Third Column, like a raging torrent of steel, rushed to the front of the stronghold.
The tracks rolled over the collapsed bricks and stones, relentlessly advancing towards Huainan City.
Multiple Japanese positions on the outskirts of Huainan were now being subjected to the same artillery barrage and fierce attacks from tank units.
These Japanese positions, deployed in the rear, were also equipped with a considerable number of anti-tank guns.
However, under the fierce artillery barrage of the Third Column, most anti-tank guns did not even have a chance to fire.
It was blown to pieces by the dense barrage of shells, and the gunner was also blown to pieces on the spot.
The few remaining Japanese anti-tank guns were still firing wildly on the position, trying to stop the surging tanks.
Armor-piercing shells whistled through the air, occasionally hitting tanks that burst into flames and came to a stop by the roadside.
However, this sporadic resistance was utterly ineffective in halting the overwhelming armored offensive and did nothing to slow the advance of the troops.
The Japanese troops on the position were plunged into utter despair.
Their anti-tank guns only had time to fire two or three shells before the steel tracks crushed their faces.
The third column's offensive was relentless, wave after wave, without ever stopping.
The tank unit, advancing at breakneck speed, was under the full fire support of the artillery detachment behind them.
They shattered the Japanese army's carefully constructed defenses, making them as fragile as paper, crumbling at the slightest touch.
In Noriaki Ohno's command post, the phone rang incessantly, almost overwhelmed with calls.
Every call that was answered was a desperate cry for help, a plea for reinforcements as the position was lost.
"Colonel! We can't hold on! The enemy's offensive is too fierce! The position is about to fall!"
"Colonel! When will reinforcements arrive? All our anti-tank guns have been destroyed; they can't stop the enemy's tanks at all!"
"Colonel! The enemy has too many tanks! Our entire unit has been wiped out! We request an immediate retreat!"
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Desperate cries came through the phone receiver, striking Nobuaki Ohno's heart hard.
He slumped into the chair, his face ashen, his mind blank.
He suddenly remembered the advice that Brigade Commander Mitsuru Ushijima had given him before he left that morning.
Only a few hours had passed, and Li Jianghe's third column had actually reached the outskirts of Huainan.
But he couldn't understand how these enemies managed to cross the hundred-mile battle line until his death.
They silently advanced to such a deep location in Huainan, effectively cutting off his supply lines.
"Consolidate your forces, retreat entirely into the city, and hold the city walls at all costs. Do not retreat an inch!"
Nobuaki Ohno jumped up from his chair and roared out the order in a hoarse voice.
He knew better than anyone that the military supplies stockpiled in Huainan City were the lifeblood of the Sixth and Tenth Divisions.
It was the logistical foundation of the entire Japanese combat forces on the northern front, and not a single inch of it could be lost.
If these supplies are destroyed or seized by the enemy, the two divisions will immediately be in dire straits, running out of ammunition and food.
If it really comes to that, Nobuaki Ohno will have no choice but to commit seppuku to atone for his sins.
The order was quickly passed down, and the remaining forces of the 47th Regiment on the outskirts began to rapidly retreat into the city.
Meanwhile, inside the Japanese joint command headquarters on the northern front, the atmosphere was so oppressive it felt like it had frozen in time.
Ogisu Ritsuhei, his face ashen, silently handed the urgent telegram to Tani Hisao beside him, clutching the newly arrived telegram.
"What's going on? Shouldn't Li Jianghe's main force of the Third Column be hiding in the Dabie Mountains?"
"How did they suddenly appear in Huainan? Do they have wings and can fly away?!"
After scanning the contents of the telegram, Tani Hisao was so shocked that he stood up on the spot, his voice filled with disbelief.
"It's no use talking about this now. The most urgent task is to immediately send reinforcements to Huainan."
Ogizu Rippei said in a deep voice, "This is our northern front's supply base. You and I both know the consequences of losing it."
Ogizu Rippei said in a deep voice, "This is our northern front's supply base. You and I both know the consequences of losing it."
Tani Hisao immediately nodded: "You're right. Fortunately, the distance isn't too far, and reinforcements should arrive in three days at the earliest."
"Let Nobuaki Ohno consolidate his forces and defend the castle. It won't be a problem to hold out for a few days."
As soon as they finished speaking, the two immediately split up and urgently mobilized troops to rush to Huainan along the highway at full speed to provide assistance.
The distance between Huainan and Gushi is nearly three hundred li.
According to their calculations, the 47th Regiment, with a full strength of over 3,700 men, could hold out in the city until reinforcements arrived, even if there were losses on the outskirts.
Meanwhile, outside Huainan City, Li Jianghe's third column of tanks was advancing with overwhelming force.
In less than three hours, the Japanese army's outer defenses were completely torn apart, and the vanguard had already reached the walls of Huainan.
On the city wall, Nobuaki Ohno held up his binoculars, feeling a chill run down his spine and his hands trembling slightly.
Through the telescope's view, the Third Column's tanks were densely packed, covering the open fields outside the city; there were at least several hundred of them.
Moreover, he could clearly see that the enemy's artillery units had arrived and were rapidly setting up artillery positions.
He wouldn't be surprised at all if these enemies launched a full-scale attack before nightfall.
"Too fast, too fast..."
Nobuaki Ohno put down his binoculars, muttering to himself incessantly.
The speed of the advance, the rhythm of the attack, and the efficiency of the firepower deployment all exceeded his expectations.
This completely unfamiliar way of fighting threw his years of military theory studies at the Army Sergeant School into disarray.
"Regimental Commander! A telegram has arrived from Division Headquarters!"
The regimental staff officer stepped forward quickly and reported in a low voice, "The division has already dispatched two brigades to provide reinforcements."
"The advance team, traveling by truck, will arrive by noon tomorrow, and the rest of the main force will arrive within three days."
These words finally put Nobuaki Ohno's mind at ease a little.
As long as reinforcements arrive on time, there is still a chance to turn the current crisis around.