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Volume 1 On the Songhua River Chapter 2558 Bushido?

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    On the southern line of Linghai City on the north bank of the Daling River, at the headquarters of the 18th Division of the Ninth Army of the Kwantung Army, the division commander, Lieutenant General Watanabe, was sitting in the underground headquarters in despair. The independent division troops were struck by a fierce triple attack from ground and air firepower.  The casualties caused to the 18th Division far exceeded his expectations.

    The exact number of soldiers' casualties has not yet been calculated, but according to the division chief of staff's estimate, almost all the soldiers on the front line have suffered casualties, and more than one-third of the soldiers on the second line have suffered casualties. Three field artillery regiments have suffered casualties.  , the entire army was almost wiped out, and the 18th Division only had two positions!

    What makes Lieutenant General Watanabe painful is the casualties suffered by commanders at all levels. Now it has been reported that three regiment commanders were killed, two were seriously injured, and three others were also wounded. In other words, the commanders of the division commander Watanabe  Eight regiment captains were either dead or wounded. The commander of the third mixed brigade, Major General Yoshio Kawada, was in pieces. All three regiment captains under his command were in pieces. As for the officers at the level of battalion captain and squadron leader, their jade was even more shattered.  Too many, almost dead!

    An army without officers is nothing but a piece of loose sand. According to Lieutenant General Watanabe's opinion, the defense line on the north bank of the Daling River cannot be defended no matter what. The best way now is for the Ninth Army to immediately retreat in large strides and break away from the independent division.  The troops on the second line of defense who have not retreated must stop retreating, turn around, and engage in the battle to counterattack the independent division troops!

    Only in this way, there is still a glimmer of hope in the Daling River defense battle. Lieutenant General Watanabe is dictating a message to the communications officer, preparing to send it to the commander of the Ninth Army, Lieutenant General Grang.  Expressing his opinions strongly, Lieutenant General Watanabe did not hide his anger in the telegram.  and the anger and doubts of Lieutenant General Granary, the commander of the army.

    Lieutenant General Watanabe believed that as the commander of the Ninth Army, Lieutenant General Granary, he should clearly explain the actual situation of the Daling River defense line to the commander-in-chief of the Kwantung Army, General Yoshijiro Umezu, and even argue with reason, in the Western Liaoning Corridor.  The second line of defense left some reserve forces for the Ninth Army.  However, Lieutenant General Granary obeyed General Umezu's orders.  Didn't dare raise any objection at all.

    In the telegram, Lieutenant General Watanabe even used some harsh words, with a sense of questioning, regarding this point.  He was not worried about retaliation from Lieutenant General Barn.  The establishment structure of the Imperial Army determines that divisions are the highest-level combat units. The appointment, dismissal and transfer of division commanders must be approved by His Majesty the Emperor himself. Most of the army-level command structures are temporarily set up.  , the army commander is also a senior officer at the lieutenant general level.

    Formed before the war and canceled after the war.  Depending on the situation on the battlefield, it is very temporary.  Therefore, in the Imperial Army, most of the division commanders who hold real power are unruly people, and most of them do not buy into the first-level commanders of the corps. Their military ranks are generally high, their qualifications are about the same, and they are temporary divisions.  It's your command line, and it's normal not to offend you. In other words, even if he pointed at Lieutenant General Barn's nose and scolded him, he wouldn't dare to do anything to him.

    Under normal circumstances, army commanders maintain considerable respect and politeness, or in other words, fear towards officers at the division commander level, but Lieutenant General Watanabe believes that he is an educated imperial general and cannot act like a shrew.  Although he cursed in the street, it did not prevent him from expressing his inner dissatisfaction in violent language in the telegram!

    A telegram full of resentment had not yet been verbalized. The staff officer sent an order from the commander of the army, Lieutenant General Barnabas. After Lieutenant General Watanabe read the telegram, his originally pale face turned ashen, and he tore it apart after a few handfuls.  He shattered the telegram and cursed in anger: "Baga! This is simply the stupidest order I have ever seen. This is going to completely ruin the lives of tens of thousands of Imperial soldiers of the Ninth Army!"

    But Lieutenant General Watanabe had no choice, because Lieutenant General Granary had already stated in the order that the Ninth Army would not pay any price and the order to defend the Daling River defense line was personally issued by the commander-in-chief of the Kwantung Army, General Umezu Yoshijiro.  Order, I am just conveying the order of the Commander-in-Chief. If he refuses to execute it, everyone will suffer. No matter how arrogant Lieutenant General Watanabe is, he will not dare to compete with the top boss of the Kwantung Army!

    After tearing the telegram from Lieutenant General Barn into pieces, he picked up the telegram he had just dictated and tore it into pieces one by one, as if tearing into pieces the last hope of the 18th Division, "Convey my order, Division  All troops in the regiment immediately block the breach, and even the last soldier will fall on the breach position!" He said in a hoarse voice, and the pain in his eyes could not be suppressed.

    At this time, in the underground headquarters, the ground suddenly felt trembling, and the trembling became more and more violent, but no explosion was heard. Lieutenant General Watanabe listened in confusion, and a major officer, the company  He ran in and reported in a panic: "Division commander, tanks! The tanks of the Independent Division have arrived in front of the division headquarters. There are thousands of them."?¡±

    "Hani?" Lieutenant General Watanabe exclaimed and hurriedly rushed to the observation hole. In the dark night, against the background of the battlefield, huge vehicles with dark silhouettes rolled by with bright car lights.  Come on, dazzling beams of light, like sharp swords, pierce the night sky. The "crunching" sound of the tracks crushing gravel and soil stimulates the eardrums. The earth is shaking, and the roar of the engine resounds in the night sky!

    "Hani? Are all the soldiers on the two positions dead? The tanks of the Independent Division are advancing as if they are in no man's land. However, it is impossible. Just ten minutes ago, he was still with the living  Several regiment captains sent telegrams, why did the tanks of the independent division arrive in front of them more than ten minutes later? "The head of Watanabe Division Commander was filled with questions. The ground was shaking more and more intensely. The soil on top of the underground headquarters bunker was shaking.  Falling in a "whistle".

    Amidst the overwhelming roar of the independent division's armored clusters, Division Commander Watanabe could vaguely hear the sound of gunfire coming from the frontline positions. He suddenly understood that not all the soldiers of the 18th Division were in pieces.  , are still fighting, and the breakthrough is still being fought for, then it is obvious that the purpose of the independent division tank group's desperate push deep into its own position is to raid Linghai City!

    In Linghai City, there is only one brigade of the 18th Division, and it is still a second-rate supply unit. The rest is the division hospital and logistics agencies. Linghai City is like an empty city. "Clear tactics, a large number of tanks  A quick assault, quickly seizing Linghai, and then pursuing the retreating imperial troops, what a great move!" Commander Watanabe said to himself.

    At this moment, the commander of the Watanabe Division calmed down. It was a kind of calmness in despair. The underground headquarters of the 18th Division was both strong and hidden. On the chaotic battlefield, the tanks of the independent division were eager to raid Linghai City.  and the infantry accompanying the attack may not be able to discover that there is a Kwantung Army division headquarters more than ten meters underground.

    Lieutenant General Watanabe hid here and had a considerable chance of not being discovered. However, he made a completely opposite decision. He said to the guard captain: "Gather all the officers and soldiers at the division headquarters immediately and take the  Pick up your weapons, get out of the shelter, and block and blow up the tanks of the Independent Division!"

    The guard captain, who had followed Lieutenant General Watanabe for many years, was horrified and shouted with a cry: "Your Excellency, division commander, please think twice! Most of the people in the command post are civilian officers with little combat experience, and the weapons are all gone."  These are rifles and pistols, not even a few grenades. We can¡¯t stop the independent division¡¯s tanks when we go out!¡±

    "Baga!" Lieutenant General Watanabe was furious, "What are you talking about? You can't stop the enemy's tanks, cowards! Cowards! Although we don't have effective weapons, we have the spirit of the Japanese emperor and are not afraid of death.  In the spirit of Bushido, if we look at the tanks of the Independent Division without making any counterattack, we are not worthy of being an Imperial soldier, let alone the title of samurai!"

    Lieutenant General Watanabe knew that there was no possibility of survival. Death on the land of Manchuria was an inevitable outcome, but he had to die in a dignified manner that reflected the dignity of the Japanese Emperor.  He could not be captured by the soldiers of the independent division. In the endless humiliation, his head was chopped off by soldiers of inferior races.

    Lieutenant General Watanabe, who was heartbroken and wanted to die, was not even in the mood to write a suicide note, so he picked up the command knife with a gold steel handle, wiped it carefully, and strode out of the underground shelter, followed mechanically behind him.  More than a hundred officers and soldiers at the headquarters of the 18th Division, with numb expressions on their faces, faced the torrent of tanks from the Independent Division.

    Battelle commanded hundreds of tanks in the first echelon, shook off the gunfire on the battlefield at the Daling River breach, and headed straight for Linghai City at the fastest speed. He knew very well that the Japanese military strength in Linghai City at this time was definitely  The extreme shortage is the best time to seize it. Once the Kwantung Army soldiers on the north bank of the Daling River retreat and enter Linghai City, I am afraid that there will be another fierce battle.

    In order not to waste time, he ordered the soldiers from the first brigade of the Niangziguan Guard Corps who were accompanying the attack to sit on the tank. The tank carried the infantry and was almost flying. Such a steel monster could climb hills and climbs as if walking on flat ground.  , which made the soldiers who usually smashed cars excited and nervous, letting out bursts of yelling and laughter.

    If it were on the European battlefield, Battelle would never do this. On the battlefield, tanks on both sides are the targets of artillery. If they bring infantry with them, wouldn't it be a desperate move? If they are hit by an artillery shell, the tank will be destroyed.  The infantry carried will also be blown to pieces.

    But things are different now. The Kwantung Army is concentrated along the Daling River and is being divided and surrounded. From the north bank to Linghai City, there will be no resistance. However, he still asked each vehicle commander to remind the infantry outside to be ready to fight at any time.

    "Boom!" There were loud noises, and Battle immediatelyHe became alert, and through the lookout holes of the tanks, he saw that two tanks were on fire, and the infantrymen on them jumped down with flames all over their bodies.

    (To be continued) (To be continued)
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