A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

Colonel Takamori, commander of the 68th Regiment, was ashen-faced and extremely frustrated.

His regiment's 3rd Battalion on the left flank made no progress in the offensive at Jiangwan Yinxing and suffered a crushing defeat. Brigade Commander Riichiro Katayama and Division Commander Susumu Fujita had just given him a severe scolding over the phone.

Takamori Takashi, who was seething with anger, vented it all on Ito Hiroshi, giving him a thorough dressing-down.

The Japanese army readjusted its firepower deployment and launched another round of fierce artillery bombardment.

The 140mm naval guns of several cruisers from the 8th and 1st Minesweeper Squadrons roared with earth-shattering force.

加强到东线的第3师团炮兵联队第一大队，集中了所有8门三八式75毫米野战炮、4门九一式105毫米榴弹炮。

The intense shelling lasted for more than 30 minutes, with a deluge of heavy artillery shells pounding the obstacles and minefields marked out by Japanese infantry at the cost of their lives in front of the Nationalist army's main position. In this round of shelling, the Japanese used a large number of delayed-action fuses, intending to plow a path of attack to the main position with their artillery fire.

The majority of the Nationalist Army's main frontline troops quickly retreated to their rear positions and shelters under the officers' urgent orders, leaving only a small number of sentries to hide in anti-artillery fortifications.

At this moment, several armored vehicles from the Japanese Navy's Shanghai Special Landing Force drove over from the vicinity of Shanghai University.

Because the army's landing vehicles were all deployed to the Jiading and Luodian battlefields on the western front, the army attacking Jiangwan was not equipped with armored units. In the morning, the commander of the 3rd Division, Susumu Fujita, consulted with Major General Denshichi Okawachi, the commander of the Marine Corps, hoping that the Marine Corps would send tanks to support the attack.

Since the lieutenant general division commander of the army, Maka, had personally asked him for help in a rather humble tone, Major General Denshichi Okawa felt a surge of pride and, not wanting to refuse, immediately agreed.

The Jiangwan area is crisscrossed by numerous small rivers and ditches, with many small bridges built across them for passage. However, apart from a few heavy-duty concrete bridges on major roads, the rest are small stone and wooden bridges.

Since the start of the war, the Nationalist army in Jiangwan has destroyed the bridges on the main roads for easier defense, leaving only some lightly loaded small bridges, most of which have also been damaged to varying degrees by artillery fire.

The Shanghai-based Marine Corps' armored vehicle fleet is equipped with four Type 89 medium tanks, but these are also intended for combat operations in the urban areas of Hongkou and Yangshupu. Furthermore, their weight of over 13 tons makes them unsuitable for navigating the river network areas of Jiangwan.

Ōkawa Denshichi decided to send a squad of four Type 93 armored vehicles to support the army's offensive. This type of six-wheeled armored vehicle was not equipped with a cannon, but had five machine guns. Its all-around firepower caused the Nationalist army, which had been fighting in urban warfare, a great deal of trouble. In terms of firepower and mobility, it was superior to the Vickers M25 armored vehicle.

The vehicle has a crew of five: one driver and four machine gunners, and can also carry infantry. Weighing approximately 4.5 tons, its armor is made of 6mm thick special steel plates, capable of withstanding only light weapon fire, but sufficient to deal with the weak anti-armor capabilities of the Chinese army.

Okawachi Denchichi was quite cunning and did not intend to use his armored vehicles to lead the charge and risk the army's safety. He specifically instructed Lieutenant Kameda, the armored vehicle squad leader, "Don't rush to set off. Have lunch first, and let the army attack a few times before we talk about it."

It wasn't until the afternoon that the well-fed and well-equipped naval armored vehicles finally arrived, after several unsuccessful attacks by the army.

The Japanese heavy artillery fire began to extend deeper into the interior.

Our artillery was under close surveillance by the Japanese army. As soon as they opened fire, they were quickly suppressed by Japanese artillery counterattacks. Our mountain guns could only keep moving their positions and were unable to counterattack.

Ito Hiroshi adjusted his troop deployment, with Nakata and Inoue companies replacing the heavily damaged Nomura and Sakamoto companies, launching an attack from the front. The Nomura and Sakamoto companies, having already suffered numerous casualties in their previous attacks, withdrew to regroup and await further orders, ready to launch a follow-up attack at any time.

"Report! The Japanese have dispatched four armored vehicles to attack our position!" The 2nd Battalion on the front line reported the situation to the 522nd Regiment headquarters.

Inside the command post, Wang Youping and Liu Anqi's expressions also changed.

Due to the severe lack of anti-armor weapons in our army, it is difficult to effectively deal with Japanese armored vehicles. In many cases, we can only use cluster grenades, but getting close to Japanese armored vehicles comes at a great cost.

Our 37mm anti-tank guns were heavily targeted by the Japanese army. Often, the Japanese would launch a counterattack after firing only two shots. The 37mm anti-tank guns needed to be deployed forward, and their heavy weight and difficulty in moving them caused the officers a great headache.

Two fresh Japanese companies deployed and, under the cover of a barrage of fire, launched a fierce offensive in coordination with armored vehicles. Type 92 infantry guns, rapid-fire cannons, and heavy machine guns disregarded casualties and engaged in close-range direct fire, destroying previously exposed Chinese firing positions and bunkers.

As the Japanese troops gradually gained a foothold, they continuously adjusted the point of impact of their grenade launchers, becoming increasingly accurate.

Our forward positions were instantly engulfed in flames. Japanese infantry guns and grenade launchers inflicted heavy casualties on our troops. Grenades that landed on our fortifications from time to time made muffled explosions, and the flesh and limbs of our soldiers flew into the air along with the sand.

At this moment, Nomura Company outflanked our right flank and thrust diagonally toward the rear of our main position!

Grenade launchers and light and heavy machine guns from the front and flanks advanced and fired relentlessly, disregarding casualties.

The Japanese tactics were effective, and several of our flanks were immediately suppressed. Japanese assault squads formed elite teams and desperately advanced into our positions to drop bombs.

Two battalions of our 522nd Regiment fought desperately on the front line, launching three short counterattacks in succession and repeatedly vying with the Japanese for the forward positions. However, the attacks ultimately ended due to the heavy casualties of the Japanese troops caused by their intense artillery fire.

Song Hongfei, who had been observing the battle situation, said to Wang Youping, "The Japanese offensive is too fierce. There is no need to hold the front line any longer. Let's withdraw according to the plan and use the pre-set positions in the rear to carry out tiered resistance, which will wear down the Japanese offensive power and morale."

Wang Youping nodded and said to Yi Anhua, the commander of the 522nd Regiment: "Have the two front-line battalions withdraw to the second-line positions. Pay attention to organization! Each company must cooperate well and launch successive attacks!"

"Yes, sir!"

Under the strict organization of the officers, our front-line troops withdrew to the second-line positions in an orderly manner. Yi Hua'an organized a platoon of the regimental mortar company to prepare for a counterattack against the Japanese grenade launcher group that was about to attack.

Seeing signs of our army's retreat, Ito Hiroshi ordered the attack echelon to pursue immediately, giving the Chinese army no chance to catch its breath!

Nakata, his face full of scars and sporting a tuft of hair, received Ito Hiroshi's order to continue the attack. Revealing a set of large, yellowed teeth, he roared, "Pursue! Be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor! Slaughter all the Chinese soldiers! Kill them all!"

Under the urging of their officers, the soldiers of Nakata Company and Inoue Company charged toward our deep-seated positions with shouts.

Our army has reorganized its defenses on the second line, and Yi Hua'an roared with murderous intent as he issued the order to counterattack!

More than thirty light and heavy machine guns fired in unison, spewing long tongues of fire. The dense rain of bullets instantly engulfed the battlefield between the first and second lines of defense!

Blood and flesh splattered everywhere as Japanese soldiers, attempting to break through our deep defensive positions, fell in droves, riddled with bullets.

Nakata, who thought he had succeeded in his attack, was smug and was about to report to Captain Ito Hiroshi when the situation suddenly changed!

Stunned, Nakata watched his soldiers retreat in disarray. Enraged, he grabbed a sergeant who was retreating in a panic. Just as he was about to explode, several heavy machine gun bullets whizzed past him, sending sand flying behind him.

Nakata shuddered and immediately and nimbly fell to the ground, breaking out in a cold sweat.

Nakata yelled, "Grenade launcher! Take out the Chinese army's machine guns!"

The fanatical Japanese officers had completely disregarded life, sternly ordering their soldiers to spread out in skirmish formation and charge forward fearlessly!

Our well-concealed 82mm mortars roared with rapid fire once again! Dense shells slammed into the Japanese attack formation, sending blood, flesh, and shrapnel flying everywhere!

Within this short 400-meter deadly distance, the Japanese army launched two forced assaults on our second-line positions, both of which ended in failure under the dense fire of our mortars and machine guns.

The Japanese army retreated like a tide back to our original front-line positions.

Dejected, Nakata and Inoue stood before the expressionless Ito Hiroshi, but this time Ito Hiroshi did not lose his temper.

To be fair, Ito Hiroshi believed that Nakata and Inoue had no problems with tactics and command in this attack, but the Chinese army's unusual tactics were beyond his expectations.

Under intense artillery fire, his battalion fought valiantly and broke through two lines of defense of the Chinese army. Normally, when the imperial army made a partial breakthrough and continued its attack deeper into enemy territory, the Chinese army was already too weak to continue resisting.

This time, however, the Chinese army not only did not retreat, but was able to maintain the integrity of the defensive line and seemed to be able to constantly reorganize its forces and firepower to put up a fierce resistance.

His troops had never launched such a difficult and fruitless attack, inflicting unprecedented losses! He simply couldn't understand it!