pappabearbooks Chapter 16 Japanese Tank Units
Chapter 16 Japanese Tank Units
Looking at the time on the watch face, Hiroshi Nakagawa knew that it was impossible to take over the Sihang Warehouse before noon.
Just then, the phone rang.
Hiroshi Nakagawa glanced at it.
Go answer the phone.
He said to Fujita Tadayoshi.
Fujita Tadayoshi knew perfectly well that the person behind that phone call must have endless rage to vent.
Taking a deep breath, the moment he picked up the phone, Fujita Tadayoshi moved the flashlight a little further away.
"Damn it!!! It's already midnight, why haven't we taken that damn warehouse yet!!!"
Division Commander Yoshizumi Ryosuke roared, like a volcanic eruption.
Once his anger had subsided slightly, Fujita Tadayoshi said:
"Division Commander, not allowing the use of artillery is a huge tactical restriction for us."
If we had artillery, wouldn't we have been able to take them all down in just a few charges? There would have been no need for such heavy casualties.
But Yoshizumi Ryosuke said:
"Shut up! Commander Matsui has personally called to inquire when we can take over that warehouse. Tonight's banquet has already invited a large number of reporters. Are you planning to make us lose face in front of reporters from all over the world?"
Yoshizumi Ryosuke was already quite irritable, and now he's encountered something like this.
If they cannot take this warehouse in the short term, their Ninth Division will likely become a laughing stock of the entire Shanghai Expeditionary Army.
Fujita Tadayoshi pleaded:
"Division Commander, we desperately need to be able to use our artillery. If that's not possible, could you please bring in armored units?"
He knew very well that the enemy's firepower density at Sihang Warehouse was such that even if a regiment or a brigade came, without artillery fire, it would be difficult to break through the enemy's defenses.
Yoshizumi Ryosuke then said:
"Understood. I will send a tank squadron over there. The warehouse must be taken before nightfall. If it cannot be taken..."
Before Yoshizumi Ryosuke could finish speaking, Fujita Tadayoshi shouted:
"If I still can't take it, I'll commit seppuku to atone for my sins!"
A Japanese tank company would typically be equipped with either a Type 95 light tank or a Type 97 medium tank.
Of course, armored vehicles also exist, and the composition is not entirely certain.
At 3 p.m., the tank squadron appeared at Fujita Tadayoshi's command post.
Looking at the tanks and armored vehicles, Fujita Tadayoshi's gaze fell on the Sihang Warehouse.
Inside the warehouse, Li Jianghe heard a rumbling sound.
Even the ground was trembling slightly.
Someone shouted from upstairs; it was a soldier responsible for observing the movements of the Japanese troops.
"Tanks!!!! The Japanese tanks are coming!!!"
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone's eyes instinctively turned to look outside.
"tank!?"
The armor of Japanese tanks was actually quite thin, and with anti-tank guns and other weapons, destroying them was not too difficult.
However, at that very moment, the Chinese army had almost no anti-tank weapons.
Therefore, on the Chinese battlefield, the fight against Japanese tanks often involved the soldiers' own flesh and blood.
To destroy a tank, they would form a column, each carrying a cluster grenade or a bundle of explosives.
After the soldiers in front were shot down, the men behind followed and charged until the tank was destroyed.
However, under this method of warfare, even a platoon of men often cannot destroy a single Japanese tank.
Most of them would die from the fire of Japanese machine guns mounted on vehicles, as well as from the guns of infantry moving in tandem with the tanks.
Inside the command post, Xie Jinyuan's expression became extremely solemn.
They were not afraid of poison gas because the German-equipped divisions were equipped with gas masks.
But tanks and armored vehicles are difficult for them to defeat.
This was the case when we were stationed in Zhabei. Due to the lack of anti-tank firepower, the soldiers often had to use their own bodies to block the advance of Japanese tanks.
"Commander, Battalion Commander Li is here."
Yang Ruifu walked over at this moment and said.
Xie Jinyuan looked at Li Jianghe before speaking:
"Battalion Commander Li, the Japanese tank units have arrived. This battle is going to be tough."
I remember your unit still had a few anti-tank guns; could they penetrate the enemy's tanks?
This was Xie Jinyuan's only hope.
If Li Jianghe's anti-tank guns cannot penetrate the armor of Japanese tanks from the front, then the only option is to organize a suicide squad and sacrifice the soldiers' lives.
Li Jianghe smiled calmly and said:
"If it's a German tank, I'm really not confident."
But the Japanese tanks are nothing to be afraid of.
Battalion Commander Yang Ruifu adjusted his glasses and said:
"Battalion Commander Li, please be careful. Our regiment encountered a Japanese tank squadron before and suffered heavy losses."
Their company has a maximum of a hundred or so people, but even our entire regiment is struggling to hold them off.
This is true; the Nationalist army lacked anti-tank firepower, and this also included German-equipped divisions.
Moreover, later on, the few remaining anti-tank guns of the German-equipped divisions were also destroyed in the war.
There's no way to fill the gaps now; we can only use human lives to do it.
Li Jianghe remained calm and confident.
"Don't worry, now that I've said this, I'm confident of winning this battle."
As he was speaking, a loud roar came from behind.
The observation post on the rooftop shouted again:
"The Japanese tanks are attacking!!!"
Xie Jinyuan looked at Li Jianghe and said:
"Battalion Commander Li, you're in charge of this battle!"
"yes!!"
After saying this, Li Jianghe quickly ran downstairs, shouting as he went.
"Messenger, order all anti-tank guns of the Third Battalion to move into position immediately. Do not fire without my order."
The assault platoon, led by Wang Dayong, carried cluster grenades and lay in ambush in the foremost trench. They would only attack after seeing the red signal flare!
Wang Chengzhu, take your mortar to the roof and blast it to smithereens!
Once the order was given, all units began to move swiftly.
Inside the concessions, the people of Shanghai naturally saw the billowing dust and the roar of tank engines.
"Tanks! The Japanese tanks are here!"
"It's over, it's all over now, those iron lumps are impervious to swords and spears."
"Damn Japanese, why aren't you charging forward? What kind of heroes hide behind these lumps of iron?!"
"This is probably going to be difficult; those tanks are too powerful..."
On the rooftop of the building, Xiaoze, holding binoculars, watched the rolling torrent of steel advancing through the smoke and dust, and let out a slightly arrogant laugh.
"Haha, looks like we won't have to wait until dark."
Ozawa looked at Williamson beside him and said.
"Our chariots have arrived; the outcome of this battle is already decided."
Williamson did not answer, but stared intently at the advancing tank force.
"Hang in there, you awesome young men of China, you must hold on!"
Hiroshi Nakagawa let out a long sigh of relief.
"This time... surely there won't be any more accidents, right?"
There shouldn't be any problems. The Chinese army's anti-tank capability is almost zero. Facing our armored vehicles, they can only wait to die.
Thinking of this, he checked the time; it was 3:30, not too late.
There are still four and a half hours until the dinner starts.