The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Chapter 137 Battle of Guadalcanal (7)

The battlefield in Sector E was filled with thick smoke and a tense atmosphere. After a long and fierce battle lasting a day and a night, the 113th Division captured Hill 217, which was held by a Japanese battalion.

The ferocious Japanese army refused to give up easily. Relying on their familiarity with the terrain and their meticulously constructed fortifications, particularly the intricate system of underground bunkers spread across the heights, they attempted a surprise attack at nightfall, dealing a fatal blow to the exhausted 113th Division. However, they faced not the US Army but the Chinese, the forefathers of tunnel warfare.

The Chinese have been experts in tunnel warfare since ancient times. After the 113th Division completely controlled the high ground, they discerned the Japanese army's sinister intentions from seemingly insignificant clues. Thus, a brilliant counter-operation against the tunnels was immediately launched.

The American pyrotechnicians finally had their moment of glory. Armed with flamethrowers, Yorks and his companions lay in ambush at the entrances of the Japanese army's hidden passages, mercilessly spraying blazing flames into those hidden passages.

In an instant, flames shot up into the sky, thick smoke billowed, and the once eerie underground passage was transformed into a sea of ​​​​inferno. The Japanese troops trapped within were in a desperate situation. They could either be trapped in the narrow and cramped passage, unable to escape, and ultimately be consumed by the merciless flames; or they could be forced to rush out of the tunnel, only to be greeted by even more fierce burning and destruction. In this endless sea of ​​​​inferno, the Japanese troops had no power to fight back, and could only watch helplessly as the powerful flames burned them to ash.

This thrilling battle cost the Japanese army a heavy price. According to statistics, more than 1300 Japanese soldiers were killed.

The 113th Division immediately began road excavation on the next day. Along the bottom of Hill 217, a road extending deep into Guadalcanal was opened.

Under Cai Yongxin's new strategy, the US 2nd Division unleashed the formidable combat power of its mechanized forces. Supported by aviation, they destroyed vast swaths of jungle, opening up numerous avenues of attack. The US 9th Regiment, operating lightly along the coast, also learned numerous jungle warfare techniques from the 113th Division's Special Operations Battalion, particularly the interweaving of light and heavy firepower and the coordination of small-team operations. They unexpectedly appeared behind the Japanese and launched a surprise attack, catching the Japanese, who attempted another ambush on the 2nd Regiment, completely off guard. Together with the 2nd Regiment, they inflicted heavy damage on the Japanese 16th Regiment, killing nearly 2000 Japanese, including Regiment Commander Totogi Yu, and securing the US Army's first complete victory on Guadalcanal!

The rapid east-west advance of the Sino-US coalition forces was completely beyond the expectations of the Japanese army, especially the loss of manpower, which made Major General Kawaguchi Kiyokane feel uneasy. He had to humble himself and ask Lieutenant General Sano Tadayoshi for tactical guidance.

Sano also felt troubled when he received Kawaguchi's telegram. This was completely beyond the expectations of the front and him. It was definitely not feasible to dispatch large-scale military aid in a short time. The maritime transport team's several night operations had little effect. Considering the situation on the island, Sano ordered Kawaguchi to organize troops to fight a decisive battle with the Sino-US coalition forces near the airport. He must ensure that the airport is not lost. At the same time, he requested to dispatch the aircraft hidden on the island to launch a sneak attack on the US fleet.

Mikawa Gunichi, the Japanese naval commander in charge of the Guadalcanal operation, did not reject Vice Admiral Sano's request and approved the plan to launch a nighttime surprise attack on the US fleet from the airport, but required that the time be synchronized with the navy's surprise attack fleet.

Mikawa's plan: He would personally lead the 8th Fleet (consisting of five heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and one destroyer) to launch a surprise attack on the American forces under cover of darkness. Simultaneously, the island's air force would also launch a surprise attack on the American fleet. Meanwhile, a large Japanese transport convoy would also depart, taking advantage of the American confusion to deliver a large amount of supplies and the majority of the 5th Division to Guadalcanal.

Late in the night of July 7, the previously empty Guadalcanal airfield suddenly lit up, and dozens of Japanese planes took to the skies, quietly flying toward the U.S. fleet. The Japanese land-based aircraft and naval fleet had a very tight schedule, and to maintain secrecy, both sides adopted a communications silence. However, even the most meticulous operations can have their ups and downs.

The sudden backflow at sea caused the Mikawa fleet to deviate seriously from the course. By the time the fleet returned to the route, it had been delayed for nearly an hour. Mikawa hurriedly arrived, but was still half an hour late. Half an hour was enough for the US fleet to be alert to the attack from land-based aircraft and complete a tight defense.

Before appearing over the US fleet, the Kushima Group's aircraft had already been detected by radar. As they approached, they were immediately attacked by heavy anti-aircraft fire. Despite the cover of darkness, the Japanese land-based bombers, with their heavy payloads and slow speed, were quickly spotted by the searchlights of the warships. From the destroyers and cruisers defending the perimeter to the battleships, battlecruisers, landing ships, and escort carriers in the core area, all fire formed a cross-net, encircling the Japanese forces. Kushima Group's aircraft suffered heavy damage or loss.

Like a pack of hungry wolves, the frenzied Japanese planes swooped down recklessly, seemingly disregarding their own lives, intent on destroying the American warships with them. This sudden and ferocious attack caught the American fleet completely off guard, and their previously well-organized defenses were instantly disrupted. Several American warships were hit and severely damaged, with the light cruiser USS Roland and the destroyer USS Vico suffering the most, ultimately sinking in the vast ocean.

The Kushima Squadron was nearly completely wiped out. The few fighter planes that managed to escape, running low on fuel, dared not delay even a moment and rushed straight towards New Guinea.

Mikawa knew that it was impossible to continue the surprise attack on the US fleet. In desperation, he made a prompt decision, quickly adjusted the course, led the fleet to the landing area, and fully utilized the powerful firepower advantage of his own naval guns to launch a fierce artillery attack on the US landing site.

You have to remember, those were dozens of massive naval guns with a caliber exceeding 240mm! Their destructive power was simply unimaginable! In an instant, the entire US landing base in Area A was engulfed in flames, as if doomsday had arrived. The remaining troops of the US 2nd Division stationed there suffered a devastating blow, suffering heavy casualties! By the time Fletcher arrived upon hearing the news, Mikawa and the 8th Fleet had already vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a devastated and desolate landing site.

At the same time, two main regiments of the Japanese 38th Division and a large amount of supplies secretly landed in the eastern port, replenishing Guadalcanal with fresh troops. The number of Japanese troops on the island increased to 7 regiments with nearly 2.5 people, and the US 2nd and 113th Divisions faced a great test.