in2ebook Chapter 465: The Chase
Chapter 465: The Chase
More than ten Tiger tanks and Type 5 tanks formed two long lines over a hundred miles and chased northward.
Fumio Saeki has been running for more than three hours. According to the speed of the tank cluster, they will catch up within an hour.
Li Yunlong knew this at the time, and Saeki Fumio also knew this, so both sides put in all their efforts, one running desperately and the other chasing desperately.
Li Yunlong sent another telegram to Wang Meng halfway, asking him to confirm whether the Japanese 11th Infantry Regiment and the 12th Infantry Regiment were still there in Wuzhou Mountain and Hengshan Mountain!
Wang Meng felt more and more puzzled. He sent out a few armored vehicles to test again and asked Li Yunlong why he asked this question.
Li Yunlong hesitated for a long time before telling Wang Meng the news that Fumio Saeki had fled north.
"Tell Commander Li to stay in Datong! Once I confirm that the pass is safe to pass, send reinforcements immediately! Don't act rashly!"
But this telegram fell into oblivion and no response was given.
Wang Meng felt something was wrong. He thought Li Yunlong was probably itching to do something, so he chased after him.
"Order the Independent Column's Aviation Division to send out reconnaissance planes to conduct reconnaissance within a radius of 200 kilometers, with Datong as the center. Be sure to investigate the movements of any troop, including the Independent Column!"
After giving the order to the aviation division, Wang Meng took out a telescope, walked to the high ground, and observed the situation at the pass.
Although some fortifications at the pass still opened fire sporadically, the firepower was extremely weak and could not even hit armored vehicles as thin as cans.
"Not good! Did the Japanese from these two regiments really escape? Order, each regiment to send a reconnaissance company to climb up from the side of the Japanese fortifications and observe closely to see if the main force of the Japanese has withdrawn!"
An hour later, Wang Meng received news that surprised and frightened him:
More than half of the Japanese soldiers in Wuzhou Mountain and Hengshan Mountain had already fled, leaving only a small group of the old, weak and sick.
"Order the artillery division to continue suppressing Wuzhou Mountain and Hengshan Mountain, cover the reconnaissance company to break into the fortifications, and clear out the remaining Japanese! The rest of the troops should be ready to march out and reinforce Datong at any time!"
Wang Meng also informed Li Yunlong of the retreat of the Japanese from Wuzhou Mountain and Hengshan via telegram, and copied the four regiments of the advance team and the self-propelled howitzer regiment, asking them to be on guard against the Japanese surprise attack.
Li Yunlong had no time to pay attention to Wang Meng because he had already seen Saeki Fumio's butt:
A large group of Japanese devils wearing shit-yellow uniforms!
Fumio Saeki was like a gecko, constantly cutting off his tail to attract the attention of the independent column.
And the tail that was cut off was the Japanese devils in one squadron after another.
These hundred or so Japanese devils were no problem at all for Li Yunlong's iron torrent. High-explosive bombs and machine guns could easily deal with them.
Moreover, Fumio Saeki divided the team fleeing north into several small teams to distract the attention of the independent column and make the independent column chase in different directions.
However, his method is only suitable for opponents with similar speed and combat power. It has no effect on independent columns.
Because, even if the troops are divided into groups, the independent columns will also be divided into groups. Can your two legs outrun Li Yunlong's tanks?
They were caught up in less than half an hour and then completely wiped out!
And through the use of current equipment, the tanks dispersed by the independent column can quickly return to the main force and continue to chase northward.
After all these battles, Fumio Saeki was left with less than 3,000 Japanese soldiers, and that included his light and heavy teams (baggage teams), field hospitals and other direct troops that were not considered combat-capable.
Fumio Saeki heard the disgusting roar of the engine again. The continuous setbacks made his anger reach its peak. He no longer wanted to be chased like a sheep. He wanted to be a soldier who used his chest to withstand the torrent of steel!
He drew out his bayonet and pointed at two small earthen mounds about twenty meters high on the vast grassland.
"Occupy those two earthen slopes and fight to the death with the independent column!"
Fumio Saeki's fighting spirit seemed to have infected the more than 3,000 Japanese devils, or perhaps it was because they felt that there was no way to escape and the only way left was to fight to the death.
So they occupied the two small hills, constructed simple fortifications on the ridge line, and arranged mortar positions behind the ridge line.
Fumio Saeki distributed anti-tank grenades, Molotov cocktails and explosive packs to every soldier, and ordered them to die together with the tanks of the independent column the moment the tanks crossed the ridge line.
Li Yunlong seemed to have sensed Saeki Fumio's fighting spirit and deployed his troops.
At a distance of two kilometers, they formed a long horizontal line, with Tiger tanks in the front and Type 5 tanks in the back, in three consecutive layers.
Li Yunlong crawled out of the command tank, raised his telescope, and looked at the Japanese soldiers on the ridgeline moving back and forth from time to time, feeling uncomfortable.
This time, Li Yunlong brought two tank regiments, no infantry, let alone indirect fire artillery!
There is no effective way to attack the Japanese behind the ridgeline!
What about using the tank gun to aim directly at the ridge and bombard it, then rushing across the ridge line and then attacking?
But who knows what's behind the ridgeline? It's probably suicide bombers all over the mountain!
Li Yunlong didn't dare to take the risk!
"When will the aviation division arrive?"
"Report to the commander, it is expected to take about an hour and a half!"
"It's taken too long. By the time they get to that point, the flowers will be cold. Let's outflank them!"
Li Yunlong quickly formulated a battle plan. The tank regiment of the 2nd Armored Division attacked from the front, while the tank regiment of the 4th Armored Division launched an attack from the side or back of the hillside.
The two tank regiments cooperated with each other to eliminate blind spots in shooting and minimize the risk of being "assassinated".
"Lao Ding, once you arrive at the designated location, report immediately and try to launch an attack together with the tank regiment of the 2nd Armored Division!"
"Okay, don't worry! Once I drive the Japanese down, you guys can leave one by one!"
"You have to take it easy!"
After discussing the specific details, Li Yunlong picked up the intercom and issued the final combat order.
"Comrades, the Japanese are really challenging us! I only have one request, beat the Japanese to death! Charge!"
Li Yunlong's command tank rushed out first and rushed towards the two breakthroughs!
But at this time, the walkie-talkie rang, and the call was made to Li Yunlong.
Li Yunlong took the walkie-talkie impatiently, ready to teach this blind guy a lesson.
However, before he could open his mouth, an impatient voice came from the receiver.
"Commander, the Chief of Staff ordered you to stop the attack immediately. An armored group appeared to your north!"
Li Yunlong's heart skipped a beat.