The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

"What? The Chinese have planted massive explosives in the city?" Lieutenant General Takeuchi Hiroshi was horrified upon receiving reports from the front. His 55th Division had suffered heavy losses from such attacks in recent days. The first time was outside Tonggu, when the 112th Regiment was attacked by pre-buried explosives during a battle with the 600th Regiment, resulting in the loss of nearly an entire reinforced squadron and six tanks. The second time, also at night, the 112th Regiment was attacked by unidentified explosives. Major General Horii Tomitaro, the infantry commander, and his men suffered over 400 casualties. The entire mountain artillery squadron of the 112th Regiment was completely destroyed. Initially, it was believed to be the work of British heavy artillery with a caliber of 203mm or larger. However, investigations confirmed that the cause was also unidentified explosives.

"Could it be that the Chinese army has a winning strategy and has predicted our base and attack?" Takeuchi Hiroshi sensed a bad premonition and immediately ordered the divisional guard to search the base, paying particular attention to the underground. He also instructed all units to be ready to relocate at any time. Takeuchi Hiroshi also ordered all regiments to be cautious in their attacks and not to rush ahead rashly, to avoid a similar attack again!

"200 division, Dai Anlan, private hands, private hands, dead hands, dead hands!" Takeuchi Hiroshi clenched his fist fiercely!

Huang Wei had calculated that the Japanese would be cautious in their attacks after being attacked by the pre-buried explosions, which would slow down the enemy's pace and facilitate his own defense. However, he didn't know that the consecutive large explosions had already made the Japanese 55th Division a frightened bird.

The battle was still going on. Since the First Battalion was indeed unable to fight anymore, Yukizo Oharazawa had to replace it with the Second Battalion. Looking at the sparse team of about 300 people who retreated, Taro Sakata, the captain of the Second Battalion, was shocked and secretly panicked. After the regiment commander Colonel Yukizo Oharazawa left, he immediately called the captains of the three infantry companies over and whispered the key points of the attack.

More than ten minutes later, the Japanese army started to attack again. This time, the attack seemed more bizarre. Each unit conducted a carpet search and attack in the form of teams and groups. After occupying a position of about 20 meters, they stopped immediately. The engineers began to conduct a detailed search of the occupied position. After repeated confirmation, they launched the second attack.

Qin Shi heaved a sigh of relief at this moment, thinking to himself: "Finally I have coaxed your son of a bitch into submission. Now I have plenty of time to deal with you." Qin Shi immediately ordered all units of the 2nd Battalion to take out their grenade launchers, rifle grenades, and simple catapults, and beat the Japs with me!

The 1st Battalion also moved forward. Although the Japanese were much more cautious, the occasional artillery shells still caused considerable trouble for their attack. In particular, the sudden and unpredictable Molotov cocktails, which had no clear trajectory, caused panic among the attacking Japanese. The flames from the Molotov cocktails ignited the mutilated bodies of the fallen soldiers on both sides, and the sickening odor caused great suffering throughout Tonggu, especially on the Japanese front lines.

The Japanese regiments simultaneously unleashed their small mortar-fired poison gas bombs and launched them at the Chinese forces in Tonggu. Huang Wei and his men had anticipated this enemy tactic. Although not every soldier was equipped with a gas mask, their experience as future warriors had enabled them to prepare simple preventative measures.

The poison gas bombs caused little harm to the soldiers on either side, but instead brought the fierce battle to a halt. The sky was beginning to darken. By this time, the Japanese had already occupied more than half of Tonggu City. According to the 55th Division's estimate, the Chinese 200th Division had been suppressed in a narrow strip of land east of Tonggu City, on the left bank of the Xitang River.

Takeuchi Hiroshi ordered all units of the 55th Division to halt their offensive and withdraw a hundred to two hundred meters. The division's 200rd Heavy Artillery Regiment was ready and was confirming positions and calibrating parameters with the various units. He planned a nighttime artillery bombardment of the 56th Division's area within Tonggu City. He also called the 56th Division, demanding an immediate offensive east of the Sittang River against the Chinese. He explicitly instructed the 200th Division to prevent the th Division from fleeing eastward across the Sittang River.

Upon receiving reports of the unusual Japanese retreat, Huang Wei immediately understood the enemy's intentions and ordered each battalion and company to withdraw from Tonggucheng, leaving behind a small number of surveillance personnel. Simultaneously, he arrived at division headquarters and briefed Commander Dai and the Chief of Staff on the changing enemy situation, requesting that the division begin its retreat early. Simultaneously, they should launch a feint attack with powerful firepower against the advance guard of the Japanese 56th Division across the Xitang River.

Division Commander Dai immediately ordered the division's artillery battalion and the artillery companies of each regiment to launch a fierce artillery bombardment across the Xitang River. The rumbling artillery fire reinforced Takeuchi Hiroshi's suspicion that the 200th Division was preparing to break out from the east. He realized that the 56th Division currently had less than a battalion of troops in the east, so he immediately ordered the 55th Division's tank regiment to detach a squadron. The 143rd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment, the division's reserve, was to accompany the tank squadron and detour to support the 56th Division's advance guard.

Liao Yaoxiang of the new 22nd Division received a telegram from Dai Anlan informing him of the 200th Division's breakout attempt and immediately ordered all units of the 22nd Division to launch a fierce attack on the Japanese 144th Regiment's defenses north of Tonggu. General Takeuchi Hiroshi, skeptical of the 200th Division's retreat from the north, simply ordered the 144th Regiment to reinforce its defenses, mobilizing a fully staffed squadron to assist.

Everything was ready and it was already dark. Dai Anlan immediately ordered the 598th Regiment to break out from the northeast of Tonggu along the Xitang River, under the guidance of the division's three Su T-3 tanks, with the motor vehicle regiment as the intermediate guide. Since the special forces company had been sent as the vanguard before the operation, all units made smooth progress. The division headquarters and the 26th Regiment had evacuated smoothly. Huang Wei also brought the 599nd Battalion of the 600th Regiment and the regiment's direct team to take over the feint attack of the cavalry regiment and the engineering battalion.

Dai Anlan held Huang Wei's hand tightly and whispered, "You guys should catch up in time. I'll be waiting for you in front."

Huang Wei shook his head and said to Dai Anlan, "Commander, if the 600th Regiment refuses to retreat along your route, I have other plans."

Dai Anlan asked doubtfully, "Where do you want to retreat from?"

Huang Wei pointed to the other side and said calmly, "We will retreat from the other side, then go around Aleyang and head north. We will meet you east of Keyangon."

Dai Anlan evacuated Tonggu with the cavalry regiment and the engineering battalion. Huang Wei saw that all the troops had evacuated and calculated that they were almost safe, so he immediately ordered the 1st Battalion to withdraw from Tonggu City.

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