Chapter 306: Gates Wide Open
“Boom!”
A deafening explosion instantly engulfed Nan Tian You Liang along with that cold allied corpse, as well as the pine branches and leaves covering them.
Soil, gravel, flesh and blood, mixed with gunpowder smoke and pine wood fragments, were hurled into the air by the blast’s shockwave, then fell scattered, covering everything.
Deep in the crater, there was no longer a sound, only the thick smell of blood and gunpowder spreading in the rainwater.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the joint assault force of the Shanxi Militia and the Eighth Route Army was engaged in an extremely fierce battle for the second defensive line outside Taiyuan City with the remnants of the Japanese 36th Division desperately holding the line.
This offensive battle, since the Taiyuan Campaign officially began on July 9, had already lasted a full three days.
The fierce fighting on the second defensive line had also bloody continued for a day.
Both attackers and defenders had paid a heavy price, with every inch of land soaked in blood and lives.
The Taiyuan Campaign, which began at 7 a.m. on July 9 with the roar of artillery fire, was the first large-scale, traditional urban siege battle in the true sense between the Shanxi Militia, the Eighth Route Army, and the Japanese army.
The brutality of this campaign exceeded everyone’s expectations.
The Japanese 36th Division, this force trapped in a desperate situation, was still resisting stubbornly.
They resisted desperately regardless of casualties, even after losing two regiment commanders in succession, and even after the regimental flag symbolizing the unit’s honor was captured by our army, they still did not give up.
They were like a pack of cornered mad dogs, using their most primal ferocity to confront the flood of steel.
In the open area around the second defensive line, the wreckage of two Sherman tanks belching thick black smoke, with twisted tracks, charred armor, and the corpses of Japanese and militia soldiers scattered around them, all told of the cruelty and ferocity of this battle.
The second defensive line was the last defensive line on the outskirts of Taiyuan City, and also the Japanese lifeline.
As long as they captured it, the entire Taiyuan City would be completely exposed to the guns of the Shanxi Militia and the Eighth Route Army.
To break through this defensive line, the joint forces also paid a staggering sacrifice.
In just under four hours, the 2nd Battalion of the 6th Regiment had lost one-third of its troops.
“Boom!”
Another explosion rang out at close range, shaking the entire ground.
With a fierce shockwave, large amounts of dust and thick smoke, mixed with rainwater and gravel, surged like a tide into a temporary command post built in a low-lying trench.
In the waterlogged trench, Battalion Commander Xu Jing Tang was sitting on an ammunition box.
Just moments ago, a shrapnel fragment from who knows where had torn his scalp.
Although it had already been wrapped with several layers of thick gauze by the medic, fresh red blood still stubbornly seeped from the gaps in the gauze, bit by bit dyeing the white gauze into a shocking dark red, like a blood rose blooming on white snow.
“Cough cough… Regiment Commander… Regiment Commander!”
Xu You Jing’s voice was hoarse from the smoke and anxiety; he clutched his still-bleeding forehead with one hand and gripped the phone receiver tightly with the other, speaking hoarsely.
“Regiment Commander… Due to the continuous heavy rain, the ground is muddy and slippery; the mortars can’t be deployed at all, let alone used.
Even if barely fired, the shells either sink into the mud and fail to explode or just splash up mud, having no effect at all!”
He gasped twice; cold rainwater and sweat mixed with blood trickled down his cheeks, blurring his vision.
“Now, although my unit has captured Guizi Pass, the troops have also suffered heavy casualties!”
There was a trace of fatigue in Xu You Jing’s voice. “I hope you can send me a company’s worth of reinforcements so I can reorganize the forces and continue the attack!”
From the other end of the phone came the voice of the 6th Infantry Regiment Commander Wu Qing Yun.
“Xu You Jing! Even with heavy casualties, you must keep fighting!” Wu Qing Yun shouted from the other end of the line.
“I know your casualties are heavy, but the devils’ casualties aren’t small either—even bigger than ours!”
“Don’t forget the Commander’s words: persistence is victory! As long as we take this defensive line, the entire Taiyuan City will be fully exposed before us.
I want you to carry forward the militia’s fighting spirit and completely capture this defensive line! Then I’ll personally request merit for you from the Commander!”
Wu Qing Yun paused, his tone softening slightly but still carrying urgency and urging.
“I just got word that the Eighth Route Army is advancing quickly and will soon take the right-wing positions. We can’t let them outdo us! Understand?!”
“Understood! Regiment Commander, I understand!”
Xu You Jing straightened his chest sharply. “Rest assured, Regiment Commander… Before nightfall today, I will definitely take the remaining positions! Failure means death!”
“Good… good lad!” There was a hint of relief in Wu Qing Yun’s voice, but his tone remained serious. “I’ll wait for your good news, Xu You Jing.
If you don’t take the positions before nightfall, I’ll personally bring the remaining men from regiment headquarters to relieve you.
Then, don’t blame me, Wu Qing Yun, for not giving you face!”
“Regiment Commander! You won’t have that chance!”
Xu You Jing slammed the phone down, smashing the receiver back onto the cradle with a clang.
He grabbed the Thompson submachine gun from the table beside him; the cold metal body felt heavy, and he sensed the rough texture on the gun like the anger about to erupt from his body.
He spun around and roared deafeningly at the few remaining signalmen and guards in the command post.
“Notify all reserve team members to grab their weapons and follow me up!”
…………
In a command headquarters set up in a natural cave at the very rear of the second defensive line, a group of Japanese soldiers was burning codebooks and other secret documents.
Deepest in the cave, 36th Division Commander Iguan Ren ordered the 223rd and 224th regimental flags to be burned to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.
You know, the day before yesterday, the 222nd regimental flag was captured by the Eighth Route Army, which had already cost him all face. If not for the ongoing battle, he would probably have been ordered by Shinozuka Yoshio to commit seppuku by now.
But it didn’t matter anymore. After today, the 36th Division would cease to exist. Chinese forces were attacking the second defensive line from several directions; the regiments below had lost contact one after another. With gunfire closing in, defeat was inevitable. The 36th Division could be annihilated, but it must not rout.
After making all preparations, Iguan Ren gathered over sixty staff officers from division headquarters in the basement. Leaning on his sword with his left hand, he spoke passionately to them: “Gentlemen, you have overcome numerous difficulties, obeyed orders, and fought bravely against the enemy with overwhelming firepower and artillery superiority.
However, due to the enemy’s extreme tenacity and absolute superiority in numbers, our army’s defeat is truly inevitable.
But gentlemen, don’t rush to commit seppuku. Kill as many enemies as possible with the Chinese blood! Wash away the shame on us! I beg you!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Iguan Ren bowed to the remaining forces of the 36th Division. The staff officers in the basement, holding their rifles, returned the salute simultaneously. They knew the final moment had come.
At 5:35 p.m., outside Taiyuan City, in the temporary command post of the Japanese 36th Division. With a heavy sigh, the phone lines were completely cut, meaning their only remaining contact with the outside was that wireless transmitter.
Division Commander Iguan Ren, this once high-spirited imperial general, now had a face full of exhaustion and despair. He stared at the radio operator before him, his eyes filled with resolve.
“Send a farewell telegram to Commander Shinozuka Yoshio and North China Area Army Headquarters!”
The radio operator’s fingers danced rapidly on the key.
“Since the Chinese army attacked Taiyuan, the officers and men of the 36th Division have fought bravely, and Iguan is deeply gratified.
Our army has repeatedly engaged in desperate battles against the enemy with absolute material superiority in land and air. Facing Chinese tanks, the 36th Division officers and men, with loyalty to the Emperor, launched countless banzai charges, destroying many Chinese tanks and finally inflicting heavy casualties on the Chinese army… However, our army has suffered heavy casualties and is unable to stop the Chinese offensive.
Currently, the Chinese army has advanced to within less than 200 meters of the command post. The troops are out of ammunition and food. I have performed the regimental flag burning ceremony… Praying for the Empire’s certain victory and peace… Farewell… 36th Division Commander Iguan Ren, July 11, Showa 15.”
After sending this farewell telegram, Iguan Ren assembled the last reserve force of the 36th Division… They consisted of over a hundred staff officers, guards, and signalmen, and were also the final force of the division headquarters.
“Long live the Emperor!”
Iguan Ren suddenly drew his command sword, let out a final roar, and led the charge out of the cave they were hiding in. However, as soon as they rushed out, before they could even see the scene before them, they were engulfed by the terrifying fire net of dense machine guns, submachine guns, and mortars from the Shanxi Militia.
“Da da da! Tu tu tu!”
Bullets poured down like a rainstorm, with mortar rounds exploding one after another around them.
At this time, the Shanxi Militia assault team, led by Xu You Jing, had advanced to within less than 50 meters of the 36th Division headquarters. The dense fire instantly tore this group of Japanese soldiers rushing from the cave into pieces.
“Whoosh…”
A stray bullet grazed Xu You Jing’s neck, bringing a stinging pain. He didn’t even have time to look closely, just instinctively touched it and felt a burning sensation there, no blood.
However, a guard following behind him was not so lucky. That bullet precisely hit his forehead. The guard didn’t even hum before his body fell straight back, crashing heavily into the mud. A bullet hole in his forehead gushed blood, with brains splattered everywhere.
“1st Company Commander! Flank from the left! Use grenades! Attack in for me!” Xu You Jing ignored the guard’s death; he pressed his earpiece and roared commands into the radio.
His eyes were fixed on the cave not far away—that was the last stronghold of the Japanese command post, and also the target he must capture tonight.
Suddenly…
He was surprised to see the Japanese soldiers who had been hiding in the cave like turtles refusing to come out now charging at them like madmen, bayonets fixed, heedless of everything.
Their faces were full of fanaticism and despair, like ghosts, with no formation, just blindly sprinting forward.
“Banzai!”
Over a hundred Japanese soldiers, bayonets gleaming, let out hoarse roars and surged forward like a tide.
Ignoring the dense bullet rain, they charged desperately, trying to scare the Chinese soldiers armed with submachine guns and fierce firepower using this primal and desperate method. However, in the face of absolute firepower superiority, their “desperate counterattack” instantly turned into a one-sided slaughter.
“Tu tu tu! Da da da!”
The muzzles of Thompson submachine guns and M1919 machine guns spat fire madly, bullets sweeping out like a storm.
Japanese soldiers fell in swaths like cut wheat, bloodied and muddled, convulsing in the mud. Their bayonets hadn’t touched a single Chinese soldier before they were completely torn apart.
Under this hail of bullets, the over hundred Japanese launching the “desperate charge” were quickly wiped out, their corpses piling up the open ground in front of the cave.
Looking at the bodies everywhere, Xu You Jing let out a long breath. This damned division headquarters was finally taken.
“Men, clear the battlefield immediately, search carefully, verify identities—don’t miss anything.”
Soon, they found two distinctive corpses among the piles.
“Sir, I found a major general.”
“Sir, there’s a Japanese lieutenant general here!”
“Verify identities quickly.”
Xu Jing Tang quickly pulled out several photos from his waist pouch to check. After a moment, he nodded: “No mistake. One is 36th Division Commander Lieutenant General Iguan Ren, the other is Chief of Staff Major General Konmura Shintaro.”
“Good, report to the regiment commander immediately: My unit has completely annihilated the 36th Division headquarters, no enemy escaped. Killed Japanese 36th Division Commander Lieutenant General Iguan Ren and Chief of Staff Major General Konmura Shintaro.
Also captured their personal documents and command swords and other items.”
With the complete destruction of Iguan Ren and the 36th Division headquarters, the Japanese outer positions in Taiyuan were also declared fully lost.
The entire Taiyuan City was now completely exposed before the Shanxi Militia and the Eighth Route Army, like a turtle without its shell, ready to be slaughtered.
Upon receiving word that the second defensive line was fully occupied and Division Commander Iguan Ren had been killed, the joint command post in Wuta County was filled with cheers.
The whole nation was shaken for a time, with all eyes drawn here.
After receiving the telegram from Su Yao Yang and the Eighth Route Army, Yan Xishan finally realized he had to take action, or once Taiyuan was recovered, he might truly have no share.
