in2ebook Chapter 342 The Power of Howitzers
Chapter 342 The Power of Howitzers
"Say it!"
Wang Meng and Li Yunlong responded in unison that it would be easy as long as the conditions were met.
"After you come back, I'm going to go to Zenda to take a look. The mass base there is relatively weak. I'm afraid something might go wrong, so I'll go there first to get ahead!"
"Okay, no problem. You can go there for a month and help them with ideological education. With you, Old Zhao, in charge, we can ensure that our team will be strong and red!"
Seeing that Li Yunlong was so good at flattering, Wang Meng was unwilling to fall behind.
"That's right. Lao Zhao is an expert at ideological work. Let's build our base in the heart of Huashengmi! In the future, we will also build it in Burma!"
"Hahaha, stop talking nonsense, you two must come back safely, especially you, Lao Li. You are not younger than Mengzi, so take it easy in everything you do!"
Li Yunlong pounded his chest, then boasted, put one leg on the table and stretched it.
“I’m in that era!”
The three of them saluted each other, then went their separate ways to prepare.
Li Yunlong and Wang Meng agreed that they would command the East Front Group and the West Front Group respectively, and contact each other via radio if support or assistance was needed.
At eight o'clock in the morning, two people simultaneously issued the order to attack in the armored command vehicle.
The independent column's aviation division was divided into two, with two formations of thirty F6F Hellcat fighters and fifteen Flying Fortress bombers flying towards Yangquan and Taiyuan respectively.
According to the photos taken by the F4F-3p reconnaissance aircraft in the early stage, a large number of fortifications have been built in the four directions of east, west, south and north outside Taiyuan City, including three of the most solid fortresses.
The first fortress is Niutuozhai, located in the northeast of Taiyuan City, only five kilometers away from Taiyuan.
The Japanese built 10 bunkers and 3 core positions here. The walls of each fire bunker were 1.5 meters thick. Even using a 105mm howitzer to fire directly, it would take a lot of effort.
The second fortress was Xiaoyaotou, four kilometers away from the east gate of Taiyuan City. The terrain here was complex, with 13 hills of various sizes. Yoshio Shinozuka ordered the soldiers to build bunkers and fortifications according to the terrain of the mountains.
Due to the influence of the terrain conditions, there are almost vertical cliffs behind the bunkers in Xiaoyaotou. The bunkers are connected to each other, forming a blockade firepower network covering the entire position.
The third fortress is located at Da'an Mountain and Xiao'an Mountain, five kilometers southeast of Taiyuan City. There are many large-scale group fortifications deployed in these places, which are quite difficult to conquer.
According to intelligence, the thickness of these fortifications is similar to that outside Linfen City, and ordinary infantry artillery has no effect at all.
Each of the three fortresses was garrisoned by a battalion of Japanese soldiers and at least three to four thousand puppet troops, while there was also a battalion of Japanese soldiers and direct troops in the city.
According to conservative estimates, there were at least 20,000 Japanese invaders and puppet troops.
No matter what, just bomb first!
"Order the aviation division to bomb Da'an Mountain and Xiao'an Mountain first!"
"understand!"
After comparing the photos, the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber opened the bomb bay door, and dozens of tons of bombs from ten bombers poured down.
The thirty F6F Hellcats were not to be outdone and dived down one after another, dropping the heavy bombs mounted under their bellies accurately onto the Japanese fortifications.
Then, as if that wasn't enough, they fired the mounted rockets one by one.
The bombing continued for more than ten minutes, almost turning the fortifications on Da'an Mountain and Xiao'an Mountain southeast of Taiyuan City into a sea of fire.
When the smoke cleared, reconnaissance planes took off again to assess the effectiveness of the bombing.
"Reporting to the headquarters, 50% of the fortifications have been destroyed!"
After taking pictures, the reconnaissance plane returned to Pingshun.
After the photos were developed, the remaining Japanese fortifications were immediately reported to Wang Meng via the radio.
Wang Meng frowned. He didn't expect that the Japanese had actually turned Taiyuan's steel and cement into these fortifications.
Wang Meng picked up the phone and started contacting Li Yunlong.
"Lao Li, how is the bombing effect over there? Mine looks average, we still need to use heavy artillery!"
"Well, I'm a little better, but the Japanese in Taiyuan seem to be making some moves. I won't attack Yangquan yet. I'll make plans after I'm sure of the Japanese's intentions!"
Wang Meng pondered for a moment. The situation on the battlefield was changing rapidly. Adjusting the combat deployment in time according to the circumstances was a helpless move.
"Okay, let's attack Taiyuan first!"
"If the Japanese in Yangquan come to support Taiyuan, we will take the opportunity to attack Yangquan. If they hide inside, we will free up our hands to attack Taiyuan first!"
After Wang Meng hung up the phone, he immediately issued an order to the artillery division to bombard Da'an Mountain and Xiao'an Mountain in the armored command vehicle.
Wang Huaibao excitedly issued combat orders to his howitzer.
"Order, the howitzer regiment will immediately launch an artillery attack on Da'an Mountain and Xiao'an Mountain, and hit a base first!"
Thirty 150mm howitzers roared immediately, and -kilogram projectiles were pushed towards the Japanese fortifications.
This 150mm large-caliber howitzer was extremely powerful. When it hit the Japanese fortifications head-on, it was enough to penetrate the -meter-high reinforced concrete fortifications, while ordinary brick walls would be directly turned into pieces, burying everyone alive.
The lethality of this 50-kilogram projectile is even more terrifying.
All living things within twenty meters of the explosion center will be turned into fragments and bloody mist.
Anyone within a fifty-meter radius will be riddled with shrapnel, leaving no chance of survival.
A distance of 150 meters is relatively safer, but you still have to pray not to be hit by shrapnel.
Within a radius of 200 meters, your body is relatively safe, but you may also be shaken to temporary deafness.
Yoshio Shinozuka was extremely confident in the fortifications of Da'an Mountain and Xiao'an Mountain, not only because the two positions echoed each other and formed a commanding height within a ten-kilometer radius, but also because they were his solid fortifications.
Looking at the fortifications gradually disappearing from sight, Yoshio Shinozuka's heart sank!
"Baga! When did the independent column get such powerful heavy artillery? Is Germany still supplying them with supplies?"
At that time, there were only two heavy howitzer regiments in the entire Chinese army, with a total of 48 150mm caliber howitzers imported from Germany.
Therefore, he was really surprised to see the shadow of 150mm howitzers on the front line of the independent column.
The 150mm howitzer group had 2400 guns, which fired a total of large-caliber shells, shaking the earth.
Wang Meng picked up the telescope and saw yellow smoke all over the sky. There were only a few Japanese fortifications left.
As for those fortifications that were not blown up, even if there were still Japanese soldiers stationed there, they would probably be bleeding from all seven orifices.
"Lao Ding, the tank regiment and the armored infantry regiment are ready to attack!"
"okay!"
Yoshio Shinozuka did not expect that he would have to face the iron hoof of the independent column so soon, and he did not prepare anti-tank cones and anti-tank trenches.
So, the consequences are predictable.