Chapter 290: Firing Cannonballs Barehanded?
“Baka, damn it, today our army is truly like a dragon swimming in shallow water, toyed with by shrimp!”
Kumamoto Division Commander watched the Eighth Route Army and Direct Line Troops jointly attacking, growing fiercer with each battle, and angrily cursed harshly.
Although he had urgently collected ammunition from the Puppet Army, it still couldn’t stop the opponent’s morale.
Even within the Puppet Army, surrender incidents occurred, causing local situations to collapse.
“Division Commander, Commander Shinozuka sent an urgent telegram.”
At this critical moment, the staff officer handed the newly arrived telegram to Kumamoto Division Commander.
Upon hearing this, Kumamoto Division Commander quickly grabbed it and looked.
After reading the content, Kumamoto Division Commander’s expression lit up with joy: “Yoshi, that’s great, Commander Shinozuka can still provide air support and airdrop supplies for reinforcement.”
“Orderly, immediately convey my orders.” Kumamoto Division Commander quickly summoned the orderly and had him rapidly pass them down.
Troops prepare to receive the airdrop and prepare for breakout.
First break out and reach a certain city on the Jingtai Line.
As long as the military train can deliver the subsequent supplies, the outcome of this battle is still uncertain.
“Yes, Division Commander.” The orderly nodded.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
……
The bomber group arrived very quickly, dropping bombs like dumplings.
Whether Direct Line Army or Eighth Route Army, due to lack of anti-aircraft weapons.
Facing the fierce bombardment from the bombers, they could only retreat and avoid.
Taking advantage of the Eighth Route Army and Direct Line Army being suppressed, the transport planes timely dropped supplies.
“Division Commander, all supplies have been received and quickly distributed.” The statistician walked over and reported to Kumamoto Division Commander.
“Yoshi.” Kumamoto Division Commander nodded and asked: “How long can the troops’ ammunition last now?”
“Breakout is no problem.” The statistician replied, “If we conserve a bit more during the breakout, it’s enough for us to withdraw to the city.”
Of course, the statistician answered this way not because the transport plane’s airdrop capability was strong enough to supply adequate weapons and ammunition to tens of thousands of troops at once.
Mainly because Kumamoto Division Commander had cut costs and increased efficiency in advance, collecting some ammunition from the Puppet Army.
Plus, the troops had suffered heavy casualties from the joint strikes of the Eighth Route Army and Direct Line Army.
Heavy casualties meant the remaining people could share more.
“What about food?” Kumamoto Division Commander asked.
“Food is about the same.” The statistician replied.
“That’s enough.” Kumamoto Division Commander nodded and immediately ordered: “Pass my order, immediately breakout at full strength, while the bombers are still here, we can also save some ammunition during the breakout.”
“Hai!”
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
……
The transport planes in the sky continued the fierce bombardment, while the Japanese Invaders and Traitors on the ground, under Kumamoto Division Commander’s orders, quickly took the opportunity to breakout.
Without anti-aircraft weapons to curb the cluster, mere light machine guns couldn’t do anything to them.
Whether Eighth Route Army or Direct Line Troops, their defensive lines and formations were quickly blasted open.
The Japanese Invaders and Traitors attacked through the opening, with ample ammunition support, the Japanese Invaders’ combat power was very strong.
Even though the Eighth Route Army and Direct Line Army troops desperately tried to block, they ultimately let the Japanese Invaders break out.
“Finally out.” Kumamoto Division Commander let out a big sigh of relief and decisively said: “Hurry and retreat.”
“Division Commander, there are still several thousand Puppet Army who haven’t come out.” Someone reported to Kumamoto Division Commander, “Those are the strongest combat power in the Puppet Army.”
“Never mind, can’t worry about them.” Kumamoto Division Commander waved his hand, “Anyway, there are plenty of soft bones on this land, as long as our Emperor’s soldiers withdraw, we won’t lack Puppet Army joining later.”
Kumamoto Division Commander led the troops not only abandoning several thousand Puppet Army, but also basically abandoned the wounded in the Puppet Army.
Even the corpses of Imperial Army soldiers were not taken away.
They hurriedly withdrew.
The abandoned several thousand Puppet Army, seeing this, cursed one after another:
“These damn Japanese Invaders escaped themselves and left us behind.”
“Surrender, let’s all surrender, no need to fight this battle anymore.”
“If I sell my life to the Japanese Invaders again, I’m their grandson!”
……
The several thousand Puppet Army didn’t hesitate much and quickly chose to surrender.
“These damn Japanese aircraft! We don’t have enough Hell Missiles, alas!” The Eighth Route Army soldiers watched helplessly as the Japanese Army broke out under aircraft cover, full of regret.
If we had anti-aircraft weapons, we could shoot down those hateful planes from the sky.
If the number of Hell Missiles was sufficient, we could completely seal off the Japanese Invaders with Hell Missiles, and they couldn’t escape.
Then this battle would absolutely not be like this.
Those boiled ducks like Kumamoto absolutely couldn’t have flown away.
Unfortunately, the weakness of military industry strength also led to the loss of combat opportunities.
“These damn Japanese Invaders ultimately took away the five carts of tungsten ore, we worked for nothing.” The Direct Line officers were also hopping mad.
Originally thought the Japanese Invaders’ supply logistics were cut off, so we could take the opportunity to grab the tungsten ore.
Unexpectedly, it ended up being a futile effort.
“Send out troops to continue harassing and delaying the Japanese Invaders along the way, don’t let them withdraw so easily.” The Eighth Route Army commanders still quickly issued orders.
As for the Direct Line Army side, they had absolutely no intention of delaying the Japanese Invaders, let alone wanting to grab back the tungsten ore.
In this battle, they fought the Japanese Invaders, causing considerable casualties to them, but their own casualties were also very heavy.
Especially weapons and ammunition supplies, consumption was also very large.
The Direct Line Army officers wanted to preserve their living forces.
Preserving living forces was also an old tradition on the Nationalists’ side.
“Strange, why didn’t we see the Eighth Route Army’s artillery?” Direct Line 217th Regiment Commander Feng Zhihui was very interested in the Eighth Route Army’s blinding powder.
But even more interested was the new artillery that the Eighth Route Army had fired from the high ground earlier, with a tail flame behind its butt.
This thing’s explosive power and range were comparable to medium artillery.
Medium artillery was also scarce for the Direct Line side.
The Eighth Route Army had fired a salvo at that time, and the number of medium artillery seemed quite a lot.
Feng Zhihui actually had some crooked ideas, wondering if he could find an opportunity to covet it.
As a result, at the end of the battle, he went to the high grounds on both sides.
He didn’t see any trace of artillery at all.
Even on this ground, there were no wheel marks.
Medium artillery wasn’t light in weight; it required vehicles to tow.
If towed, there would definitely be wheel marks on the ground.
But Feng Zhihui found nothing.
“Regimental Commander, could the Eighth Route Army have erased the wheel marks?” Someone came up to Feng Zhihui and guessed.
“Does the Eighth Route Army have any need for that?” Feng Zhihui blurted out, “The Japanese Invaders and Traitors have withdrawn, the battle here is over, the Eighth Route Army is busy capturing captives everywhere and delaying the Japanese Invaders, where would they have the need to erase traces? Moreover, in such a short time, they couldn’t have done it.”
Although the battle was over, quite a few Puppet Army had scattered.
So the Eighth Route Army was still capturing captives.
But the Direct Line Army side wasn’t interested in capturing captives, so they didn’t participate.
Although Feng Zhihui said this, he still had people carefully check the ground here once.
Ultimately found nothing, no erased wheel marks at all.
Feng Zhihui scratched his head: “Strange, where did the Eighth Route Army’s artillery go? Could they have fired the cannonballs from their shoulders again?”
The Eighth Route Army had already produced shoulder-mounted cannon.
It was just that the caliber of that cannon was very small.
The person nearby immediately questioned: “Regiment Commander, the cannonballs’ caliber isn’t small, how could it be fired from the shoulder? The human body definitely couldn’t bear it.”
Then this person added: “After the Eighth Route Army fired those cannonballs, I kept paying attention here. I only saw the Eighth Route Army troops charging down, didn’t see anyone carrying cannon barrels charging down or withdrawing. I estimate the Eighth Route Army’s cannonballs were…”
“What do you mean?” Feng Zhihui glanced at him, “Are you trying to tell me the Eighth Route Army’s cannonballs were fired bare-handed?”
This was simply absurd!
How could cannonballs be fired bare-handed?
Not to mention cannonballs, even bullets were impossible!
“Regimental Commander, though the words are a bit absurd, think carefully: medium howitzers aren’t light either, with the Eighth Route Army’s logistics conditions, how could they tow them?” The person questioned, “Their Hell Cannon even needs mules to pull. Judging by this, this new artillery at least needs livestock. Even if using livestock, how could there be no sign of the artillery being transported down?”
At this time, some other Direct Line officers also gathered, including Feng Zhihui’s Division Commander.
“Feng Zhihui, how is it, did you find clues about the Eighth Route Army’s artillery?” The Division Commander asked directly.
“Division Commander, it’s really weird.” Feng Zhihui scratched his head and said, “No trace of Eighth Route Army artillery seen, no towing marks on the ground. It looks like the Eighth Route Army fired the cannonballs bare-handed.”
“Fired bare-handed?” The Division Commander, upon hearing, angrily said: “Feng Zhihui, you have some nerve, so boldly fooling me, not afraid I’ll remove you from your position!”
“Division Commander, how dare I fool you? You can also take a good look at the scene. No traces of setting up cannons here at all.” Feng Zhihui pointed out.
Even for mortars, the ground needs to be leveled.
If not leveled, it would affect firing accuracy and cannon stability.
And the Eighth Route Army’s cannonballs had such large caliber, the ground needed even more leveling.
But here, there were absolutely no signs of any leveling.
Feng Zhihui’s Division Commander naturally still didn’t believe it, but finally had people check around here, all confused, no clues at all.
The Division Commander couldn’t help complaining: “They say the Eighth Route Army has a pair of industrious hands. But no matter how capable these industrious hands are, they couldn’t possibly fire cannonballs bare-handed, right?”
“Division Commander, in my view, we’d better not guess wildly, hurry and negotiate with the Eighth Route Army side.” Feng Zhihui suggested, “When their soldiers were in close combat with the Japanese Invaders, the powder they threw at the Japanese Invaders’ faces is also good stuff, ask about that too.”
“Mm, then go ask.”
