Chapter 1 Facing the National Army's Bunker

Facing the National Army's bunker, Shigetō Chiaki missed the Fifth Field Heavy Artillery Regiment terribly.

But today, the Heavy Artillery Regiment had more important things to do.

It was no longer available to his detachment.

When the Shigetō Detachment dragged its own infantry guns up and fired directly at the defending troops' bunkers, it was still unable to break through the defenders' defenses.

The attention that Detachment Leader Shigetō Chiaki paid to the Second Regiment gave Regiment Leader Takahashi Ryo a great deal of pressure.

In order to complete the Shigetō Detachment's mission as quickly as possible.

Regiment Leader Takahashi Ryo could only order infantrymen to carry explosive packs and try to blow up these stumbling blocks that were blocking their advance.

Abe Eiji was a native of Bay Bay Island. Because his parents were low-level civil servants, they hoped that their son would have a better future.

His parents used their own eyes to see the power of the occupiers. In order to show loyalty to the occupiers and to allow their son to be accepted by his masters.

So they abandoned their own Wang surname and changed it to a Japanese name.

From a young age, the children around him all knew each other well, and they couldn't get along with Abe Eiji, who was so different from everyone else.

After graduating from high school, he was sent to the army on Bay Bay Island.

This time, he was acting with the entire Shigetō Detachment.

Just now, he had seen with his own eyes that three soldiers had already been sent to blow up the fortress.

All three soldiers charged one by one, and they were all agile soldiers.

When they rushed out with the explosive packs, they also showed considerable tactical skills.

However, all the performances of these three soldiers seemed so pale and powerless in the face of the National Army's machine gun fire.

The three soldiers all died on the way to the fortress, one after another.

None of the soldiers made it halfway.

Now, the regimental commander was personally directing him to go up.

Poor Abe Eiji accepted the task with a bitter face and began to advance with the explosive pack.

It was not easy for an ordinary soldier to be remembered by the regimental commander.

However, Abe Eiji was not an ordinary soldier because he had given up his own surname and changed his name.

This made him different, and from a young age, he was called by the children: a person without ancestors.

After becoming a soldier, he was often ridiculed by his teammates.

But such a person was the most beloved by the Empire, so Regimental Leader Takahashi Ryo was able to know his name.

Changing his name was an expression of his loyalty to the Empire in terms of his will, and blowing up the fortress was the time for him to show his loyalty to the Empire in action.

Abe Eiji did not act immediately after carrying the explosive pack.

Instead, he carefully observed the entire terrain in front of him and carefully planned his route forward.

This was his life, and Abe Eiji had to be cautious.

Under the gaze of all the soldiers, Abe Eiji finally moved.

He dashed nimbly from one crater to another.

Machine gun bullets whizzed past him, making his movements even more agile.

In order to gain the appreciation of his masters, Abe Eiji had been practicing extra hard every day for years.

He wanted to amaze everyone one day, quietly stunning them, so that the master could take a second look at him and give him a chance to become an official and be promoted.

Just like today, the master finally took a few more glances at him.

He didn't know if this time would cost him his life.

Abe Eiji knew that the regimental commander must be among those watching him behind him.

If he could complete the task of blowing up this fortress this time.

Then could he, a three-year private, be promoted to sergeant?

Or even be made a small squad leader directly? He didn't dare to think about it!

He didn't dare to think about being a squad leader!

He should be able to be a squad leader, right?

Thinking this way, Abe Eiji felt his body as light as a leaf. When he ran, his feet felt like they were stepping on springs, and his movements were terrifyingly agile.

None of the defending troops' three machine guns could lock onto him, and they didn't hurt a hair on his body.

Takahashi Ryo's eyes were fixed on this slave who didn't even want his ancestral surname.

The contempt in his eyes was indescribable. Although the Empire needed such shameless slaves.

But this did not prevent him from despising such slaves.

However, as Abe Eiji passed the halfway point, Regimental Leader Takahashi Ryo finally had a trace of appreciation in his eyes.

When Abe Eiji finally placed the explosive pack under the National Army's bunker.

Regimental Leader Takahashi Ryo finally nodded in approval.

With a bang, Abe Eiji really completed the demolition mission.

This fortress was blown up, and the National Army's defense line was forced back a distance.

The Shigetō Detachment's Second Regiment had advanced less than fifty meters when it encountered another National Army bunker blocking its advance.

This time, the eyes of the entire vanguard were on Abe Eiji.

Those who understood the meaning in the soldiers' eyes all understood:

Since you succeeded once, then continue to succeed!

We're counting on you! Abe!

Regimental Leader Takahashi Ryo didn't think or hesitate at all. He directly ordered, "Abe Eiji, you go!

Blow up this bunker for me!"

Most of the soldiers in the Shigetō Detachment were from Bay Bay Island.

In order to be promoted and make a fortune, they were used to performing in front of their masters and were extremely brave in battle.

However, no one was willing to do this kind of task that was obviously nine deaths and one life.

Now, hearing that the regimental commander had considerately understood everyone's thoughts and directly assigned Abe Eiji to carry out the demolition.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time, they felt schadenfreude.

Let you show off so much!

You even thought of abandoning your ancestral surname and changing it to a Japanese name.

You were even able to have Regimental Leader Takahashi Ryo remember your name.

Now you're in trouble! Retribution is here!

When Abe Eiji succeeded in the first demolition just now, he didn't receive a word of praise or a word of greeting.

All he got was to be sent out with an explosive pack to demolish the bunker a second time.

Such a blow made Abe Eiji feel very hurt.

This time, his good luck was finally used up.

Just now, those machine gun bullets seemed to be avoiding him, and they couldn't hit him no matter what.

This time, it was completely the opposite. His body was like a magnet, attracting bullets and flying towards him.

Abe Eiji had been hit in the arm by two bullets less than ten meters after rushing out of the bunker.

The lightly injured Abe Eiji did not lie down and give up. Instead, he carried the explosive pack and held on to the belief that he would not leave the line of fire with a minor injury.

He continued to advance.

However, his physique was too special. After rushing forward a few more meters, not only was he injured in the arm, but he had at least seven or eight bullets in his feet, thighs, and body.

Now, no matter how many thoughts Abe Eiji had in his mind, he could no longer stand up.

He lay in a crater, looking up at the sky with his eyes wide open, unable to close them even in death!

After the death of one Abe Eiji, there were still many cannon fodder like Abe Eiji who could be commanded.

Takahashi Ryo pointed at a soldier at random, "You go!"

The soldier carried the explosive pack and fell to the ground as soon as he rushed out of the bunker.

This action aroused Regimental Leader Takahashi Ryo's curiosity. He couldn't help but raise his body slightly, wanting to see this soldier's exaggerated performance.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, a bullet flying from nowhere pierced through Regimental Leader Takahashi Ryo's chest, bringing out a spray of blood.

He also fell to the ground all of a sudden.

The entire Second Regiment's attack stopped immediately.

The Shigetō Detachment's advance was not smooth, and the 13th Division, as the main attacking force on the front, was not doing well either.

It was only today that they occupied Lujiaqiao Town and immediately launched an attack on the Changshou Dahe line.

The National Army had built strong positions on both sides of the Changshou Dahe River. The 16th Division, which came to attack, was suppressed and unable to continue its advance.

At this time, it was already the afternoon of the 26th. The 16th Division Commander Ogisu Ritsubing was unable to complete the attack on the Jiangyin Fortress on his own.

He was ordered to return to help the 11th Division clear the resistance of the National Army on the outskirts of Wuxi.

The entire Japanese 16th Division attacked from the east, the 11th Division attacked from the southeast, and the 9th Division attacked from the south.

The Akiyama Detachment came from Taihu Lake and had already landed in the rear, preparing to cut off the National Army's retreat.

At this critical moment, when the National Army Gao Pengyun's 105th Division handed over its position to Chen Yong's 44th Division.

When the 44th Division entered the position, it left a gap with Wang Xiushen's 32nd Division on the right flank.

This opportunity was seized by the 58th Regiment under the command of Ogisu Ritsubing's division.

They broke through in one fell swoop. When attacking Jiangyin, the Sasaki Michiichi Regiment suffered a great loss.

This time, they seized the opportunity, broke through the defense line between the 44th and 32nd Divisions, and directly launched a fierce attack on the east gate of Wuxi.

Naka Yuya's 65th Regiment quickly followed up and expanded the results of the battle.

The vanguard battalion of the 36th Regiment of the 9th Division, under the command of Battalion Commander Takaki Naomichi, used eight heavy machine guns and two mortars to suppress the National Army's flank machine gun fire.

They rushed into the south gate of Wuxi and were immediately jointly attacked by several fortresses of the defenders.

Heavy machine guns and mortars could suppress some of the firepower, but they still could not allow his troops to attack smoothly.

Looking at the styles of the houses and fortresses built in the city.

Regiment Leader Takaki Naomichi had a whim: he ordered the soldiers to use the streets and houses as cover and directly enter the residents' rooms.

They chiseled open the walls layer by layer, thereby approaching the defenders' bunkers.

In this way, the devils of the 36th Regiment could directly appear in front of the National Army's bunkers without being discovered by the National Army.

Even if the National Army could discover them, they would not be able to exert strong suppression on them.

The entire Wuxi was now surrounded on three sides, and many devils had already entered the city.

Under such circumstances, the National Army had no choice but to retreat actively.

At this point, the two defense lines built by the Nanjing government at great expense, the permanent fortifications line that was originally planned to last for two years of resistance, were captured by the Japanese army in less than half a month.

Now, only the Jiangyin Fortress remained alone and still standing firm.

It suddenly made Jiangyin as dazzling as a firefly in the night, or like a lighthouse on the coast.

It made the entire Japanese Central China Army feel uncomfortable and very annoying.

Since this direction was being attacked by the Japanese Shanghai Expeditionary Army, and the 10th Army was responsible for another direction.

Therefore, the Jiangyin Fortress became the place that the entire Japanese Shanghai Expeditionary Army wanted to occupy immediately.

Now, Matsui Iwane's eyes could finally be completely focused on the Jiangyin Fortress.

Yesterday, when the 16th Division's attack was frustrated, they had requested guidance from the Air Combat Team.

Matsui Iwane knew this.

For this reason, he had also sent a tank battalion to help.

Of course, the final outcome of these two supporting teams made Matsui Iwane realize:

The Jiangyin Fortress was truly built by the Nanjing government at a great cost.

The firepower configuration was very different from the resistance that the Japanese army had encountered before.

He needed to take it seriously.

So Matsui Iwane ordered: the 16th Division would once again attack Jiangyin along the Xicheng Highway.

At the same time, he sent the 11th Division to attack Wujin, which was to relieve Division Commander Ogisu Ritsubing of his worries.

This was not the end of it. This time, Matsui Iwane supported the 13th Division with a new tank team: the Iwanaka Tank Team.

In addition, on the basis of the Fifth Field Heavy Artillery Regiment, he added the Second Field Heavy Artillery Brigade: this regiment was equipped with sixty 38th-year type 150mm howitzers, sixteen 14th-year type 100mm cannons, and sixteen 89th-year type 150mm cannons.

Whether it was a field heavy artillery brigade or a tank team, it needed the support of engineers to operate in the river-rich Jiangnan region.

In order to cope with the numerous rivers near the Jiangyin Fortress and the restrictions on the deployment of tank teams.

And the bridges over these rivers may have been blown up by the National Army, Matsui Iwane also assigned an independent engineer team to the team attacking the Jiangyin Fortress this time.

He also assigned an integrated cavalry team to the Japanese 16th Division: this team consisted of the 3rd Cavalry Battalion, the 9th Battalion, the 17th Battalion, and the 1014th Cavalry Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Mori Goroku.

At the same time, he ordered the 3rd and 4th Fleets of the Navy to provide support from the Yangtze River.

He also sent the Army and Navy Air Combat Teams to support.

The damage suffered by the attacks on the Jiangyin Fortress yesterday and this morning was too great.

Matsui Iwane was unwilling to fight a piecemeal tactic. He was based in Shanghai and considered all the difficulties he could think of.

This time, he made a royal flush.

He had given Ogisu Ritsubing all the strength he could use to attack the Jiangyin Fortress.

He was just waiting for the 16th Division to perform.

Division Commander Ogisu Ritsubing, who had accepted the task, did not delay at all.

He immediately threw out his operational plan after thinking about it.

All the heavy artillery deployed on the front of the Jiang Fortress were at least twenty kilometers away from the fort, so that the artillery of the fortress could not play a role.

At the same time, he let those guns in the heavy artillery brigade with insufficient range, except for a small number deployed on the front to bomb the defenders' fortifications on the front.

The remaining artillery and tanks all detoured to the north and rear of the fortress, attacking from the Wujin and Zhenjiang directions.

His main force was going to attack the Jiangyin Fortress from north to south.

As for the two fleets of the Navy, they should honestly come up along the Yangtze River and try to fire a few more shells at the Jiangyin Fortress.

The power of naval guns was actually very strong.

Although Ogisu Ritsubing looked down on the Navy, he was still envious and jealous of the large-caliber naval guns they used.

The Japanese army attacking the Jiangyin Fortress immediately began to act after receiving the order.