Chapter 8, Feigned Attack
The sound of cannon fire soon became even more intense. With the coordination of the artillery regiment and the main force of a battalion, the engineering corps could be said to have significantly increased its strength, making the feigned attack appear more like a genuine offensive.
However, how could those who have not experienced it firsthand understand the pain involved... Being completely still while those insects crawl and bite at one's body, and among them, there may even be some that are deadly poisonous, Zhang Chi only feels that he is on the verge of madness
Dai Anlan pondered for a moment before issuing the order: "Relay my command to have the artillery regiment and the 600th Regiment's third battalion coordinate with the engineering corps to conduct a feigned attack on the airport. Have Wang Ninghang send the detailed operational plan to me immediately!"
Since the British began their colonization of Myanmar over fifty years ago, they have always looked down on the Burmese people from a position of superiority. As the masters, the British naturally indulged in luxury, and this was true even for the British soldiers. Therefore, although they were in Myanmar, they never experienced the hardships of being in the jungle, nor did they receive any corresponding training in jungle warfare and survival.
On the Japanese side, although most of them also lacked experience in jungle warfare, the training of the Japanese military was extremely harsh and focused more on cultivating willpower and endurance. As a result, their combat effectiveness in the jungle was naturally much stronger than that of the British troops, who were like delicate flowers raised in a greenhouse
Although Zhang Chi also knew that he could not move at this time, after all, this was a pre-war infiltration, and if the enemy discovered them, it would mean an early exposure of their strategic intentions
Commander! The recently arrived Staff Officer Liang stopped the messenger who was about to deliver orders and handed over a telegram, saying: "Commander, please take a look. The deputy commander of the engineering regiment, Wang Ninghang, has sent a telegram explaining the situation. They have already blown up the tunnel, cutting off the enemy's supply line. Now they are feigning an attack on the Japanese forces at the airport, waiting for the enemy's ammunition to be exhausted before taking the airport in one fell swoop!"
However, what lies before us is a critical moment that concerns the lives of 200 teachers and students. Since the engineering corps has successfully taken the first step...
From this perspective, it is understandable that the British forces in history were almost instantly defeated and fled the battlefield in Myanmar.
It must be said that the sound of firecrackers exploding is indeed quite similar to that of machine guns. Whether the enemy was frightened is unknown, but Zhang Chi was certainly scared. At that moment, he had completely forgotten about mosquitoes and poisonous insects, and he lay tightly on the ground, not daring to make a sound.
"Yes!" Liang replied, turning around to convey the order.
The Chinese military, it is not so much that they possess strong willpower, but rather that most of them come from impoverished backgrounds. Coupled with decades of continuous warfare in China, which has left the populace in dire straits, they have become somewhat accustomed to the suffering caused by these mosquito bites and do not take it seriously.
Therefore, the engineering battalion arranged a company in each direction to charge towards the enemy's positions in a skirmish formation, and with the dense gunfire in the jungle, it truly resembled an attempt to reclaim the airport
Nonsense! Upon hearing this, Dai Anlan could not help but become furious: "What is going on with this engineering regiment? They are acting recklessly and not following orders. Immediately call them back!"
"Hmm!" Upon hearing this, Dai Anlan was momentarily taken aback. He then returned to the map on the table at the headquarters and studied it for a while. After that, he nodded and said, "It seems that the engineering corps is also well-prepared for battle. First, they will cut off the supply lines, and then use the elevated terrain around the airport to launch a feigned attack on the airport... This approach does have a certain chance of success!"
Isn't it? Zhang Chi had just scratched a few itchy spots and moved some branches when the demon turned around and glared fiercely at him, raising the box cannon in his hand, clearly indicating: "You better not move again, or I'll take you out!"
Dai Anlan was well aware that the equipment and quality of the engineering corps were not on the same level as that of the Japanese army. While it might be possible to overcome a smaller force with a larger one, the two sides were actually evenly matched in terms of troop strength. Therefore, a rash attack on the airport would not only fail to capture it but could also result in a complete annihilation of the entire army
The gunfire quickly alerted the headquarters of the 200th Division located in Tonggu.
Now, let us see whether this battle will end in the fish dying or the net breaking
What is happening?" Hearing the gunfire, Diane Lan looked towards the airport and asked, "Which unit is engaging the enemy at the airport?"
Certainly, a feigned attack is not merely about firing cannons and guns, along with setting off firecrackers; it requires someone to charge forward... The enemy soldiers are all seasoned veterans who have fought on the battlefield, and it is impossible for them to be intimidated by the sounds of gunfire and artillery to the point of firing recklessly.
Zhang Chi, this modern man, truly suffers; at times, he genuinely wishes that a shell would come and blow him up outright.
Wang Mazi concentrated all the light and heavy machine guns of the entire regiment in a single line ... Wang Mazi had engaged with the Japanese army and was aware that they tended to estimate the size of the enemy based on the number of machine guns observed. Therefore, he placed as many machine guns as possible at the forefront. However, even so, since each platoon of the engineering corps only had one machine gun, the number of machine guns was still insufficient. Consequently, he had no choice but to use some firecrackers placed in iron barrels to make up the numbers
As three red signal flares slowly ascended into the sky, Zhang Chi was still focused on battling mosquitoes and ants.
Of course, this does not imply that the firepower of the engineering corps is particularly fierce; in fact, half of the dense gunfire is fake
Report! Shortly after, the messenger rushed in to report: "Report to the commander, it is the engineering regiment... they have gone to attack the airport's enemy!"
Hmph! Dai Anlan certainly knows that Wang Ninghang is shouldering the responsibility all by himself
The signal flare had not yet landed when the engineering regiment's only ten or so mortars simultaneously fired a barrage of shells towards the Japanese positions. Immediately following this was a dense volley of gunfire, with bullets flying towards the Japanese lines like locusts, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.
One cannot help but wonder how these Burmese people manage things; they do not seem to raise their chickens and ducks to any significant size, yet the insects are well-fed, plump, and robust, causing one to feel increasingly irritated and restless with every bite. This would be tolerable, but from time to time, one or two centipedes or venomous snakes crawl over. While one could perhaps overlook the centipedes or snakes, one is left utterly immobilized!
However, when the sound of gunfire truly erupted, it startled Zhang Chi greatly
This forced the Japanese army to open fire in retaliation, and thus the sound of gunfire erupted around the airport, leading to an intense battle unfolding in the vicinity of the airport
"Commander!" Staff Officer Liang continued, "Wang Ninghang explained that the airport was lost under the control of the engineering regiment. Wang Ninghang hopes to retrieve it from the engineering regiment to make amends and requests that the commander provide the engineering regiment with an opportunity to redeem themselves, along with support and cooperation. Wang Ninghang also stated that these decisions were made solely by him, and he is willing to accept any consequences for disobeying orders after this battle is over"