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Text Chapter 744 Thunder over the Pamirs!  (three)

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    A majestic armored division traveled thousands of miles from Gansu to Afghanistan. It would be useless to bully the infantry.  You must know that Du Yuming has studied armor tactics diligently over the years, led the entire division in rigorous training with mechanized combat drills, and has been rated as outstanding in the army many times, so he has long been eager to compete with his opponent's armored forces.

    Probably because they learned that the Soviet tank brigade was coming, the 10th Armored Division cheered up. By nine o'clock in the evening, except for the oil and transportation battalions trailing behind, it finally arrived in Taloqan.

    The arrival of the 10th Armored Division has excited the coalition soldiers who have been fighting here for nearly a month, especially the Afghan soldiers. Usually seeing a T25 tank is enough for them to show off for a long time. Now there are more than 200 tanks with sloped armor.  , the T31 tank equipped with a 70mm/L50 rifled gun is really addictive for their eyes.

    But Du Yuming was not too happy because the terrain here is really weird!  The Taloqan Basin is the heart of Takhar Province in northern Afghanistan. It is surrounded by mountains. It was briefly occupied by the Soviet army nine years ago. It was later recovered through the efforts of the National Defense Forces and the Afghan Northern Army. It has always been the forefront of the confrontation between the two armies.  .  The entire basin is about 130 square kilometers, surrounded by high mountains. Only between the mountains on both sides of the west is a flat isthmus 21 kilometers long and less than 1 kilometer wide on average connecting to the outside world.  On the left side of the isthmus is the turbid Abad River, and on the right is farmland. Calculating the soft river bed, the width of the isthmus is less than 400 meters, and the narrowest point is only 270 meters. The mechanized troops are completely unable to deploy.

    The Afghan 3rd Division, Asian Brigade and 23rd Regiment, which arrived earlier, have established solid defense lines on both sides of the mountain and in the isthmus.  There is also a temporary airport on the side of the canyon near the northern mountainous area, so Du Yuming doesn't have to worry too much about fuel and sneak attacks.  But how to break through the narrow isthmus is really a headache.  So after arranging for the troops to rest, Zhuo Fan and other officers were immediately summoned to study the battle situation.

    After some introduction by the Afghan military officer, everyone finally got a general idea.  The Chinese-Arab coalition forces have captured most of the 21-kilometer-long isthmus, but they encountered trouble at the narrowest point.  Because the isthmus has a turn here, which affects the artillery's viewing angle, and the width is insufficient, there are mountains blocking it on both sides.  Air Force bombers were unable to bomb effectively, so the Soviet army took advantage of this and deployed an anti-tank company here with four 45mm anti-tank guns and four 76mm cannons behind it.  Special machine gun companies were also arranged between the mountain walls on both sides, so the Asian Brigade lost three T25 tanks and two armored vehicles here alone, and more than 300 soldiers were killed or injured.

    It can be said that as long as we break through here, the Khanbalad Pass will be basically won, and the rest will be urban street fighting.  Although Du Yuming wanted to launch an attack overnight.  However, since the command command was to wait for Baghlan to take action first, they could only launch a tentative attack first.  Want to find out the location of Soviet firepower.

    On December 3, 1937, the morning after the arrival of the 10th Armored Division, the second Afghan War, dubbed the "Battle for the Heart of Asia" by the New York Times, officially began.

    The Battle of Kunduz, known as the northern gate of Afghanistan, first kicked off in Baghlan.  A total of more than 10,000 soldiers from the 24th Regiment of the 12th Infantry Division and the 2nd Afghan Army Division, assisted by 32 T25 tanks and 17 dive bombers from the armored battalion of the 12th Infantry Division, won the victory in one fell swoop after four days and four nights of bloody battles.  The Pulhumli Trail, known as the appendix of the Hindu Kush, opens the passage from Kabul to Baghlan.

    The news of the loss of the Pulhumli Trail made the Soviet commander-in-chief General Shaposhnikov very angry. He immediately ordered the 36th Motorized Division, the 8th Armored Brigade, the 9th Armored Brigade, and the 11th Tank Brigade to support the Baghlan 131st Infantry Division.  .  Reinforcements arriving one after another helped the Soviet 131st Division stabilize its position, using river channels and low urban buildings.  Layers of snipers consumed the opponent, and more than 40,000 soldiers from both sides fought against each other in the 450 square kilometers of hills and basins.

    However, the most anxious and intense part of the battle was the Khan Balad Pass. Due to the need to cover and mobilize the main force of the Soviet army, Du Yuming was not in a hurry to invest tanks to storm the pass. The infantry who lacked cover could only use their bodies to break forward inch by inch.  The 72nd Infantry Division of the Soviet Army is worthy of being an elite force that has been stationed in Afghanistan for many years. Not only is it a rare number of more than 14,000 soldiers in the Soviet army, but it also has a very rich configuration of light and heavy firepower.  The division has 272 DP machine guns alone, 24 m1910 heavy machine guns, and as many as 42 artillery pieces of various types!  There is also an armored battalion with 16 BT5 tanks for support.  In addition, it has been deployed and operated in Afghanistan all year round, so it was relatively less affected by the Great Purge.  Therefore, the combat effectiveness of the unit has always been among the best among the Soviet army.

    The tenacious Slavs seemed to be born warriors. Taking advantage of their geographical advantage, they blocked the Wehrmacht in the canyon while avoiding endless bombings. Especially those party members and soldiers who were agitated, they were actually holding explosives in critical moments.  The courage to move forward.  Under the tight defense of more than 3,000 Soviet troops, the 10th Armored Division and the 23rd Infantry Regiment, which were unable to exert their firepower and air power, suffered nearly 400 casualties in just two days. The battle for the canyon was fierce.It can be seen.

    After returning to the temporary command post from the field hospital, Zhuo Fan saw Du Yuming and Fei Wenhua still discussing the war situation with the officers under the lamp. He squeezed over and asked, "Commander, it's almost dawn, why are you still here?"  If you don¡¯t rest, is there any news from Baghlan?¡±

    "I just received the news that the Pulhumli trail has been captured! Now the 24th Regiment, the 114th Regiment and the 2nd Afghan Division have crossed the trail and entered the basin. However, the Soviet army responded very quickly. The 36th Motorized Division has already rushed over and is still there.  Two armored brigades and one tank brigade have already rushed over there." After Fei Wenhua, who commanded the Asian Brigade, finished his introduction, Du Yuming put down his pen in a bad mood: "Where did you go one night?"

    "I'm going to the field hospital."

    Du Yuming thought he was going to visit the wounded soldiers, so he didn't ask any more questions. He pointed at the map and asked, "What do you think?"

    On the map, the area centered on Kunduz has been marked with various numbers and arrows. It is the first battle of the 10th Army after entering Afghanistan.  The Battle of Kunduz has begun in full swing.  Judging from the situation, the 10th Army has not yet been able to take the initiative.  Although the Pulhumli trail was breached, the follow-up troops were delayed in catching up due to roads and weather. On the contrary, the Soviet army took advantage of the railway and quickly gained support from Termez to gradually gain a numerical advantage.  On the Khan Balad Pass, the 10th Armored Division and the 23rd Regiment were blocked for another four days.

    Of course, there is also the factor that the troops have never used their full strength, but no matter what, the combat effectiveness displayed by the Soviet troops stationed in Afghanistan all year round is still relatively strong.

    Seeing that Baghlan has contained an enemy infantry division and a main motorized division.  With more than 30,000 troops including one tank brigade and two armored brigades, Zhuo Fan immediately realized that the time had come to take action!  He replied decisively: "Baghlan is the 131st Infantry Division of the Soviet Army, Herat is the 152nd Division and the 9th Cavalry Division, and now the 36th Motorized Division is going to Baghlan. The remaining 82nd Division and 153rd Division in Termez are  The division should be the general reserve, and the 212th Airborne Brigade is probably still on the railway. Then we only have the 57th Division and the 71st Division left here, plus some scattered troops. The number should be similar to that in the Baghlan direction. From here  Judging from two days of fighting, the 71st Division has a pretty good combat effectiveness, and the 57th Division has been stationed in Tashkent all year round. Even if it is not as good as estimated, it is not much different. So I think it is time to launch a strong attack to solve the isthmus obstacle. As long as we can get out, we can not only attack Bagh  Lan interspersed and surrounded the 131st Division and the 36th Division, and could also directly threaten the remnants of the 57th Division and the 71st Division in Kunduz."

    "You are talking about lightness, but you haven't understood it these days? The Soviet army's defenses on the southwest side of the isthmus are very complete. Bombers and artillery are basically out of reach. Tanks getting into it are like getting into a hornet's nest. The reconnaissance company has lost four  I'm in love." Du Yuming raised his voice, somewhat upset.  The Soviet defense in the isthmus indeed exceeded his expectations.  Especially at the narrowest bay entrance, in order to clarify the distribution of defenses, the armored reconnaissance company has lost four T25 tanks one after another.

    The officers around him also frowned. This isthmus is like a tiger's mouth that eats people without spitting out bones. It seems that no matter how many people there are, it can't fill it.  Several officers who had led troops to attack felt a little chill in their hearts every time they thought of the dense rain of bullets fired from the high ground on both sides and from blind spots.  It's not that they are afraid of a tough battle, but they don't want to lose too much on this isthmus.  You have to know when the 42nd Infantry Division behind will arrive. Too much damage will affect the penetration of Baghlan.  If the 131st Division and the 36th Motorized Division are eventually allowed to withdraw to Kunduz, the obstacles encountered during the general offensive will be much greater.

    Seeing everyone looking gloomy, Zhuo Fan scratched his head naively.  He said with a smile: "Actually, I think crossing the isthmus is not difficult. The main thing is the method and tactics." Du Yuming knew that this "junior brother" had a flexible mind and never did anything he was unsure of. He must have thought of a way, so  He grabbed him and asked, "Don't be so secretive, just tell me."

    The continuous explosions in the past few days made Zhuo Fan, who was usually taciturn and lazy, seem to have become a different person. His eyes were extraordinarily focused. He picked up a pen and quickly traced a diagonal line along the isthmus on the map: "I have observed  Two days ago, I just went to the field hospital to check with veterans for confirmation. Since the mountains on both sides of the isthmus are more than 700 meters high, and now there is a northwest wind blowing, when the strong wind goes south, it will be squeezed by the mountain peaks and drilled into the isthmus. Those who have entered the isthmus.  Veterans say that the wind is very strong in the canyon, and the blown sand often blurs their eyes and prevents them from shooting So my suggestion is to call the bombers first and let them drop bombs on the Soviet positions at the mouth of the isthmus.  The position of the first 300 meters. When the bombers are over, the artillery battalion will continue to bombard this coordinate. We will focus the fire for 30 minutes, and we will hit as many as we can!"

    "Not bombing the position?"

    Fei Wenhua squinted at the young major in confusion and said in surprise: "Major Zhuo, isn't this a waste of artillery shells?" Du Yuming next to him was a little confused at first, but then he remembered that he had just said that he would go to the hospital to find a veteran to confirm the condition of the wind-blown eyes.  He understood the matter a little and asked, "You stayed in the hospital all night just to confirm whether the dust can blind your eyes, right?"

      "Commander is really awesome." Zhuo Fan nodded and continued to explain: "My original intention was to use smoke bombs, but the veteran said that the wind in the canyon was too strong and the smoke dissipated quickly, so I wanted to use the sand after the explosion.  Dust serves as cover. Afghanistan is a typical sandstone landform. Powerful aerial bombs and violent shelling will stir up sand and dust. Today¡¯s wind speed is just enough to blow them towards the Soviet positions. As long as the Soviet infantry is not issued with windshields, the assault battalion will  You can get about five to six minutes of blurry vision, which is enough to cross the most dangerous bay mouth. As long as you go around the bay mouth, you will find flat ground. At the cross-country speed of the T31 tank, it only takes about ten minutes to cover five kilometers. I have asked people to change these days.  The old tracks are all hung on the assault battalion tanks, and they are also covered with sandbags. They should be able to withstand the Soviet armor-piercing bullets. I am going to lead the team myself. As long as the anti-tank guns are killed, it will be enough for them to drink a bottle."

    "You will lead the team yourself?" Fei Wenhua changed his view of this lazy young officer with the words "You will lead the team personally?" He was secretly surprised that this top student was not only flexible and observant, but also very courageous and brave.  Talents for planning.

    Du Yuming was not surprised that he wanted to go to the front line, because he knew this guy's temper best. After thinking about it carefully, he made a decision: "Contact the headquarters immediately and tell the commander that we will attack the isthmus after dawn. Request the air force to use powerful bombs for support.  Send the bombing coordinates marked by Zhuo Fan. Order the artillery battalion to prepare. After the Air Force bombing, immediately focus on artillery fire for 20 minutes. Shoot as many shells as you can! Also, go to the field airport to see if there are any abandoned engines.  , if you have any, pull them over to me, tie them to the truck, and find someone in front to blow sand into the canyon."

    After the division commander gave the order, the entire 10th Armored Division and the garrison got busy. Zhuo Fan, who had long wanted to go into battle to observe actual combat in person, even ran and jumped to the tank battalion responsible for the assault.  The 32 T31 tanks of the assault battalion were now covered with scrap tracks. To enhance protection, sandbags were hung on the inverted teeth of the tracks.  Even Zhuo Fan himself did not expect that after his temporary "external armor" method was reported to the General Staff, a special tank additional armor was quickly manufactured and later equipped in large quantities.

    With the armored assault battalion ready, 32 "heavy armored" T31 tanks covered with tracks and sandbags formed a triangular formation, spouting billowing black smoke and began to move towards the mouth of the gorge.  At the same time, 12 105mm self-propelled howitzers with the same chassis as the T31 tank slowly raised their muzzles in the morning light, and 12 85mm howitzers brought by the 23rd Infantry Regiment also pushed in the shells at the same time.

    After a while, the roar of airplane engines finally came from the horizon.  Eight H-Wu Venus bombers, which looked exactly like the German JU88, used 1,600-horsepower twin engines and carried 3 tons of bombs, flew towards the canyon in two-by-two formation.  After arriving at the canyon, the six "Snake" fighter jets protecting the surroundings began to climb upward to gain altitude.  The sound of bomb dropping sounded the clarion call for the battle for Khan Balad Pass. A string of 250-kilogram high-explosive bombs like black eggs were thrown into the valley according to the coordinates set by Zhuo Fan under the weak Soviet air defense firepower. 96  The power of the aerial bomb was astonishing. Within a moment, the east side of the central bay mouth of the canyon was obscured by flames and smoke.

    "Fire quickly!" After the last bomber pulled up, the commander of the 10th Armored Division Artillery Battalion gave the order to fire.

    ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡­.¡±

    The thunder from the muzzle echoed in the Talokan Basin. 24 artillery pieces fired at the Khan Balad Mountain at a rate of 8 rounds per minute. The artillery shells drew a high arc in the sky and landed on both sides.  On the side walls and sand.  Although the artillery shells were much lighter than bombs, they could not hold up the large number. After a few minutes of concentrated fire, the isthmus was already filled with smoke and dust.  The air flow generated by the explosion of the artillery shell mixed with the sand and dust raised by the bomb, and was carried by the wind through the canyon, and rushed towards the Soviet infantry who were avoiding artillery fire.

    Sitting in the tank, Zhuo Fan counted the time minute by minute. When there were five minutes left before the artillery fire was suppressed, he immediately pulled the assault battalion commander who was half-body leaning outside.  The 30-year-old tank battalion commander raised his right arm excitedly, rotated his index finger vigorously clockwise, his face turned red and he shouted loudly.

    "Let's go, we're on the road!"

    As his hoarse voice spread throughout the canyon, the Chinese armored soldiers, who had made a sensation in the Battle of Reniwell, were inspired by this offensive "famous saying" and re-armed themselves again after 20 years
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