RPAGF Chapter 272 The general attack begins
Chapter 272 The general attack begins
272 General Offensive Begins
“Therefore, the order for the general attack tonight cannot be changed.
Tell Yanagawa Heisuke that their 10th Army will be the main attacking force tonight.
After daybreak, I want to see them retake the city gates from Guanghua Gate to Taiping Gate.
Tell Nakajima Imao that this time I have specially transferred a heavy artillery regiment from Shanghai to assist him.
If his 16th Division fails to capture Purple Mountain within two days.
He should quit his job as division commander."
Matsui Iwane said to the Japanese chief of staff next to him.
According to Matsui Iwane, the attack plan for Jinling City was revised this time.
In the first battle, his goal was to capture Purple Mountain at all costs.
In Matsui Iwane's opinion, the biggest mistake Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko made when he was in command was to underestimate the enemy.
He seriously underestimated the fighting spirit of the National Army in Nanjing City.
As a result, an incorrect offensive strategy was formulated without capturing Purple Mountain, the only commanding height outside the city of Jinling.
It would be wrong to send troops into the city.
So this time, the old devil Matsui Iwane will not make this mistake again.
In the new offensive plan he formulated, the first target the Japanese wanted to capture was Purple Mountain.
To this end, the old Japanese soldier Matsui Iwane was preparing to put into use the heavy artillery that the Japanese had never dared to use before.
"Commander, the Chinese are inside the city and have a special heavy artillery unit.
If we rashly use heavy artillery, what if…"
The Japanese chief of staff reminded Matsui Iwane of the old Japanese, but before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Matsui Iwane.
"It doesn't matter.
Over the past few days, I have been studying the intelligence about this special heavy artillery of the Chinese Army.
I discovered one thing.
That is, the Chinese army's heavy artillery should not be a real heavy artillery.
This is because every time they attack, they fire all their shells at once.
The strike covered a huge area, causing huge casualties to our army.
This is what happened when the 117th Regiment of the th Mixed Brigade was annihilated.
This was the case when the Chinese army's heavy artillery unit appeared in combat later.
So, I guess.
The artillery used by this Chinese heavy artillery unit is by no means traditional large-caliber artillery.
Most likely, they have developed some special artillery.
It is similar to the homemade cannon they studied.
It can only serve as a temporary substitute for heavy artillery, but it can ultimately not replace the role of heavy artillery.
I just don't believe that the Chinese can produce heavy artillery with their industrial level.
As for purchasing from Britain and the United States, we have not received any information in this regard for the time being, so it should be none.
In this way, it would be easy to deal with the Chinese army's artillery which could only carry out a one-time coverage strike.
We just need to disperse our heavy artillery and not concentrate them all together."
The old devil Matsui Iwane said with a smile.
At this moment, if Ye Qingshan was here and heard the inference of the old devil Matsui Iwane, he would have to give him a thumbs up.
This old devil is indeed a veteran with rich battlefield experience.
You can say he is bad, inhumane, cruel and vicious, but you can never say he is a loser.
Almost all the characteristics of the rocket launcher in Ye Qingshan's hand were analyzed.
In this way, the old Japanese will not have to be as cautious about using heavy artillery as Prince Asaka Naruhiko did before.
"Your Excellency the Commander is wise."
The Japanese chief of staff next to him also immediately started to flatter him.
“Take Purple Mountain and set up all our artillery positions there.
By then, our artillery fire will be able to cover the entire Jinling city from a high position.
Didn’t Ye Qingshan use firepower to fight us in street battles?
When the time comes, I’ll see which of us has stronger firepower.
So what if they have bazookas and submachine guns.
Our street fighting team can call for artillery support at any time.
This time, I will bomb them non-stop until the will of these Chinese soldiers collapses."
The old devil Matsui Iwane said in a cold voice.
This old Japanese guy really studied carefully the reasons why they failed in previous battles.
In particular, the street fighting tactics that Ye Qingshan had used before particularly attracted the attention of this old Japanese.
Even the old Japanese soldier Matsui Iwane had to admit that Ye Qingshan's street fighting tactics were very restraining to their army.
The Japanese's previous strong individual combat capabilities could not be fully utilized in street fighting.
On the contrary, it makes the soldiers of both sides pay more attention to firepower during street fighting.
It was also the first time that the old Japanese soldier Matsui Iwane encountered Ye Qingshan's style of street fighting. The Japanese soldiers had never fought such a brutal street fighting before.
Finally, after much thought, the old devil Matsui Iwane found a way to break the deadlock.
Since Ye Qingshan's side relied on firepower advantage in the street fighting to suppress their attacking forces.
Then they will provide more powerful firepower to support their street fighting teams.
Capturing Zijin Mountain is the key to breaking Ye Qingshan’s street fighting tactics.
In fact, Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko also realized this method when the battle was in the later stage last month.
That's why the Japanese 16th Division was determined to capture Purple Mountain at all costs.
Unfortunately, they failed in the end.
Later, Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko was removed.
This time, the old devil Matsui Iwane came back in order to quickly capture Purple Mountain after the general attack.
He was better prepared than Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko.
*
*
Just when the old Japanese soldier Matsui Iwane had already issued an order for a nighttime general attack on several Japanese divisions.
In the Kuomintang air-raid shelter command post in the city, Ye Qingshan was listening to the combat staff reporting to him the new defensive combat plan.
“Chief of Staff, we have rezoned the city.
Now all the departments are in place.
If the Japanese really attack tonight, we cannot give up except the Guanghua Gate and Taiping Gate line.
There is no need to defend the other city gates.
The Japanese were still allowed to enter the city and engage in street fighting.
We divided the urban area into three layers. The first layer is the outer urban area, and we have to hold on for at least two weeks.
Consume the devils to the maximum extent..."
Ye Qingshan listened to the report from the combat staff and their detailed defensive combat plan.
It was planned according to Ye Qingshan's instructions of defending and counterattacking, consuming the enemy first and then counterattacking.
"Yes! Sure.
Just fight like this."
After listening to them, Ye Qingshan expressed satisfaction with the details of their perfect plan.
“Also, tell Captain Gui and Division Commander Zhou Xinghai on Purple Mountain.
Let them be more careful.
After the Japanese launched the general attack, their Zijin Mountain position would still be the Japanese's main target of attack.
We must defend it, Purple Mountain cannot be lost."
Ye Qingshan instructed.
Ye Qingshan was very clear about the importance of Purple Mountain since the war began.
After all, Ye Qingshan knew the weaknesses of his street fighting style better than the Japanese.
Therefore, Ye Qingshan did not hesitate to send the 1st militia division he had just formed directly to Zijin Mountain.
Ye Qingshan had a hunch that the old Japanese soldier Matsui Iwane must have found the key to cracking their street fighting tactics.
As a result, the focus of the Japanese after the general offensive was mostly on Purple Mountain.