Chapter Nine, Fearless with Assurance

Zhang Chi, who was lurking in the jungle, also sensed that something was amiss

It is impossible; the Japanese came walking along the small path, without cars or motorcycles. At most, there were a few bicycles temporarily requisitioned from the people of Myanmar. How much ammunition could that possibly carry

The demon thought for a moment and replied: "There is indeed a batch of ammunition, but it is said to have been detonated in time during the retreat, leaving only a dozen or so trucks of gasoline that could not be destroyed. Why are you asking about this? Our ammunition is not compatible with that of the enemy, so even if it falls into their hands, it won't be of much use!"

Such terrain is naturally advantageous for the expeditionary forces to conduct feigned attacks, while it is unfavorable for the Japanese army to defend.

However, this cannot be blamed on Zhang Chi, as he is a modern individual who has only been in this time and space for less than a day since joining the battlefield. He has not yet adapted to the battlefield environment, and naturally, he lacks battlefield sensitivity

Therefore, although the engineering corps occupied advantageous terrain around the airport, they were unable to fully leverage this geographical advantage due to a lack of heavy equipment and ammunition. (Note: the 200th Division is the only mechanized division of the Nationalist Army, equipped with dozens of Soviet-style tanks, artillery, and other heavy equipment. This time, they were urgently summoned and, in the rush to quickly reach Songgu, they only brought light equipment, a small number of artillery pieces, and a limited amount of ammunition)

An airport is a place where airplanes can take off and land

Although they have now cut off the enemy's supply line and are using feigned attacks to deplete the enemy's ammunition, the enemy, in a position of weakness, continues to hold the airport with an air of confidence... Wang Mazi finds it difficult to decipher the enemy's intentions. If this continues, the enemy will eventually be dragged into a situation of running out of ammunition and food, yet they have not even made a single tentative counterattack or breakout. What exactly are they planning? Or rather, what are they waiting for?

Since the expeditionary forces entered Myanmar to engage in combat, the British have consistently failed to fulfill their responsibilities... To say they have not fulfilled their responsibilities is still a mild statement; the British have simply been a hindrance, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that they are assisting the Japanese.

Zhang Chi saw several wounded soldiers being carried down, their bodies pierced with branches and wood chips like hedgehogs. At that moment, he could only feel fortunate that his squad had not been sent to feign an attack. Yet even so, watching the bursts of fire in the darkness, hearing the sounds of explosions and the dense gunfire, and smelling the gunpowder and blood in the air, Zhang Chi still felt a chill run down his spine.

Kegonggang Airport is no exception; it is situated in a basin surrounded by mountains on all sides. If it were not for a few roads and a railway running along the foot of the mountains, one could say it is completely enclosed by forests

Fortunately, the engineering corps is currently only conducting a feigned attack

For the expeditionary forces, they only need to occupy the high ground around the airport, allowing their firepower to dominate and control the Japanese forces stationed at the airport below... Unfortunately, the engineering corps has very few heavy machine guns and mortars with a range exceeding 1,000 meters, and due to inadequate logistics, ammunition must be conserved, leaving them helpless against the Japanese troops stationed at the airport.

Zhang Chi quickly dismissed this idea, because if the Japanese army had another supply line, they would not need to place such importance on Tunnel No. 3, and even after the tunnel was bombed and collapsed, they still went to great lengths to try to reopen it

Otherwise, it seems that the expeditionary forces only need to bombard the airport with heavy machine guns and mortars for a while, and the Japanese army would be ready to surrender.

However, the Japanese troops before us continued to fire their machine guns with a loud "rat-a-tat" sound, especially the mortars, which exploded one after another in the jungle... Mortars are most suitable for dealing with targets in the jungle; when a shell flies over the target and hits the branches, it detonates, scattering branches and shrapnel in all directions, resembling a celestial maiden scattering flowers.

Zhang Chi furrowed his brow

When it comes to the logistics supply lagging behind, Wang Mazi feels both exasperated and amused

After thinking for a while, Zhang Chi still could not figure out where the problem lay. At that moment, he suddenly noticed that the Japanese army had ignited a pile of fire at the airport... This was quite unusual in battle, as lighting a bonfire would only allow the enemy to better locate their target, putting themselves in danger.

Could it be that the Japanese have brought enough ammunition?

The ability of an aircraft to land and take off signifies that it must be in an open space

Although the strategic position of the airport is important, an airport is ultimately just an airport

What gives those little Japanese the audacity to be so arrogant

Wang Mazi had previously served in the main forces and had considerable dealings with the Japanese, so he was well aware that the Japanese devils would not be easily dealt with

The reason is quite simple. Even if the Japanese army did not realize that the expeditionary force was consuming their ammunition through a feigned attack, the Japanese army, whose supply lines were cut off, would inevitably reduce their firepower and conserve ammunition as their supplies dwindled.

The demon is correct; the engineering corps' Hanyang-made rifles use 7.92mm round-nosed bullets, while the Japanese Type 38 rifle uses 6.5mm pointed bullets. Even if the bullets fall into the hands of the Japanese, they would be of no use. This is similar to the British leaving behind a batch of ammunition in Tonggu that they could not take with them; the expeditionary force, lacking ammunition, could only "gaze at the bullets and sigh".

However, Zhang Chi quickly understood why the Japanese army would do this, and he also understood why they were not worried about running out of ammunition

However, the Japanese army was not to be underestimated

The jungle provided significant advantages to the engineering battalion, allowing its soldiers to use the cover of trees and bushes to disguise a small force as a large army, thereby creating the illusion for the Japanese troops and causing them to waste ammunition. Furthermore, with the support of the artillery battalion and a main regiment, the engineering battalion still had a chance to successfully retake the airport this time

Oh, it's nothing! It was at this moment that Zhang Chi realized he had acted foolishly

The reason for this statement is that at the critical moment of the battle, the British did not actively assist the Chinese army in transporting supplies and troops. Not only did they fail to help, but they were also eager to evacuate British expatriates and officers from Myanmar to India. Consequently, the roads and railways were completely occupied by vehicles filled with furniture and belongings of British expatriates, which hindered the follow-up troops and ammunition supplies of the expeditionary force from catching up. As a result, the 200th Division had to fight alone against the Japanese army, which was twice its size, in a situation of food and ammunition shortages.

Steadying himself, Zhang Chi climbed up beside the demon and asked, "Squad Leader, has a lot of ammunition fallen into the hands of the enemy at this airport?"

It is also impossible

Is there another transportation line for Japan?

Especially in the mountainous regions of Myanmar, it is extremely difficult to find an open area suitable for an airport; even if such a location is found, it is surrounded by jungles and highlands.

Wang Mazi lit a cigarette, and under the dim light of the flashlight, he heavily gazed at the map on the shell box, amidst the rumbling sounds of artillery.