RNP Chapter 7: A Premature Death Before Success Was Achieved
Chapter 7: A Premature Death Before Success Was Achieved
Itagaki Junryo's pupils contracted sharply. He pushed aside the staff officer and rushed to the command post. He saw smoke billowing in the direction of Longbei Mountain, and dense gunfire and explosions rang out like popping beans. The Japanese troops that had been pursuing him were now in chaos, and the soldiers were fleeing in all directions under the sudden attack.
He then realized that his meticulously planned landing operation had become a trap set by the enemy, and the retreat of the "vulnerable" Chinese army was merely bait to lure the enemy deeper into their territory. "Order the troops to cease pursuit! Immediately consolidate the defensive line and break out towards the port! Immediately send a telegram to General Yanagawa, ordering those naval idiots to provide artillery support at all costs, and to have the air force provide immediate support..."
Sakamoto Junryo screamed at the top of his lungs!
"Commander, we've already sent a message to the Navy. Those idiots replied that they already fired all their shells in the first wave of fire, and they only have about a quarter of their shells left for their own defense. Furthermore, the Navy has spotted Chinese naval forces at section 52 of the Yangtze River channel. To ensure their own safety, they can no longer provide artillery support for the time being. The Navy has instructed us to hold out for two hours until more warships arrive and provide artillery support!"
However, the battlefield had already fallen under the control of the Chinese army. Xue Yue, commander of the 19th Army Group, personally commanded two divisions of the 77th Army of the Central Army, which, like two sharp knives, pressed on the Japanese positions from both sides. The Tax Police Corps blocked the retreat route in the direction of the port, and the 184th Brigade on Longbei Mountain launched a counterattack like tigers descending the mountain. Under the three-pronged attack, 6000 Japanese soldiers were firmly trapped in the narrow area between Longbei Mountain and the port, becoming like turtles in a jar.
In normal warfare, annihilating these 6000 Japanese soldiers would be harder than climbing to heaven. But in the current situation, the 6000 Japanese soldiers who landed were on a flat, open field without any defensive fortifications, making them easy targets!
In order to secure the first victory since the start of the war, the principal went all out and urgently assigned one of the only two German-imported heavy artillery regiments to the 77th Army of the 19th Army Group. Under the roar of the 155mm heavy artillery, the Japanese offensive formation was instantly torn apart. Soldiers were torn apart by the violent explosions, and limbs and weapon fragments were blown into the air by the blast wave and then crashed heavily to the ground.
Although the Japanese army, also embodied in the spirit of Bushido, were equally fearless and repeatedly shouted "Banzai!" while braving the heavy artillery of the National Revolutionary Army, they launched five group "suicide" counter-attacks!
However, the biggest weakness of the amphibious operation was that "heavy weapons could not keep up in time." In particular, there were no tanks and no heavy artillery pieces that landed. The only "heavy firepower" consisted of only a few dozen 50mm grenade launchers. The naval guns that could have provided artillery support were sent to protect themselves after Chinese warships were discovered in the rear.
As Itagaki Junryo watched his meticulously trained troops being harvested like wheat in the artillery fire, his eyes bloodshot as he roared, but he could only watch helplessly as the encirclement shrank smaller and smaller.
In the thick fog, Japanese bombers fearlessly took turns diving and bombing at low altitudes, but the visibility was too low. The Japanese pilots could not find their targets and could only drop bombs randomly. A large portion of the bombs landed on the heads of the Japanese troops, which accelerated the defeat of the Japanese army!
On Longbei Mountain, Brigade Commander Zhong Guangren led the soldiers of the 184th Brigade down the slope like a tidal wave, their bayonets gleaming coldly in the sunlight, and they engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand battle with the Japanese army.
The soldiers shouted slogans like "You damn Japanese devils, you've finally met your match!" Each swing of their swords was filled with the fury of revenge, unleashing their pent-up frustration and anger on the enemy.
Under the command of General Sun Liren, the Tax Police Corps built a dense network of firepower, taking advantage of the port's terrain. The Japanese troops made several attempts to break out of the port, but were repelled by the dense bullets, leaving behind a field of corpses.
The two divisions of the 77th Army of the Central Army tightened their grip like iron pincers, and the firepower of light and heavy machine guns and German heavy artillery intertwined to form a deadly net, trapping the Japanese army in a narrow strip of land.
Above the battlefield, the smoke and the stench of blood mingled together, permeating the entire Longbeishan area. The cries of the Japanese soldiers, the sounds of gunfire and cannons, and the shouts of battle intertwined to create a tragic war song.
Itagaki Jun'yori knew the situation was hopeless. Looking at the soldiers falling around him, his eyes were filled with despair and resentment…
Suddenly, his expression calmed down. He straightened his military cap, knelt solemnly on the ground, drew his command sword with his left hand, and took out an extremely clean white handkerchief with his right hand. He poured sake brought from his hometown from an exquisite silver flask and ceremonially sprinkled it on the command sword, then began to wipe it carefully!
While wiping himself, he calmly said to the Japanese operations staff officer beside him, "Ono-kun, please send a telegram to General Yanagawa:"
Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief! This is a tearful report from Major General Itamoto Jun'yori, Commander of the 10th Army of the Imperial Japanese Army:
Our unit is now surrounded by Chinese troops, which outnumber us ten to one, and there is no hope of breaking out.
The Quan Gongting landing operation has failed completely, and 6000 elite imperial soldiers are about to perish here.
I, Isamoto Junryo, have failed His Majesty the Emperor, the glory of the Imperial Army, and the name of the Isamoto family. Only by atoning for my sins with my death can I uphold the spirit of Bushido and prevent the Saki family from being disgraced.
In this operation, the Chinese army has completely obtained intelligence on the timing, location, troop strength, and firepower of our operations. This constitutes a serious intelligence leak. We urge Your Excellency to investigate this matter as soon as possible and eliminate the Chinese spies lurking in the upper echelons of our army for the sake of the Empire. Otherwise, the Empire's great cause of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere will be hindered.
This is the final work of the original author, Chunliang!
"Long live the Great Japanese Empire! Long live His Majesty the Emperor!" As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly raised his command sword, a flash of cold light, and resolutely committed seppuku.
Staff Officer Ono watched as the flotilla commander lay in a pool of blood, tears mingling with the blood as he trembled as he picked up the transmitter and sent this telegram, steeped in despair, to the distant Combined Fleet headquarters.
As Itagaki Junryo's consciousness began to fade, the line from his favorite Chinese novel, *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, came to mind: "He died before his mission was accomplished..."
At this moment, the gunfire on Longbei Mountain gradually subsided, and the sun finally pierced through the thick fog, illuminating the battlefield filled with corpses and smoke. The news of the complete annihilation of the Japanese Kunisaki Detachment spread throughout the entire Songhu battlefield via radio waves.
Upon receiving the telegram, Lieutenant General Heisuke Yanagawa, commander of the 10th Army, angrily drew his sword and smashed the wooden table in front of him to pieces, cursing, "Damn it! I never imagined that the Empire's first defeat in its invasion of China would occur in my 10th Army! A disgrace... a colossal disgrace..."