It's no wonder that Clifton couldn't believe it, and even all American GIs couldn't believe it...... It is simply crazy that the Chinese soldiers chose to give up this advantage to launch a counteroffensive, and the counterattack was still carried out by the Japanese who wanted to fight hand-to-hand battles and close combat at night.

But Zhang Chi knew that he was not crazy, and what the Americans did not know was that the Japanese army had always emphasized attacking, attacking and attacking, and there were even many Japanese soldiers who highly respected the phrase "the best defense is to attack". So, don't look at the fact that the Japanese are very strong and very good when attacking, but this does not mean that they are also good at defensive warfare.

For example, now, the two battalions led by Zhang Chi easily defeated the Japanese troops who harassed them.

These harassing troops had a squadron of more than 200 people, and like Kawaguchi Kiyoken, they did not expect the Chinese army to launch a counteroffensive against them, so they did not even do basic fortifications.

And since the Chinese troops have been stationed in this vicinity for some time, they can be said to know the terrain in this area well.

To make matters worse, the area was covered with thatch, which was more than half a man tall, and the sun had been exposed to continuous drought for several days, so the Chinese army only fired a few incendiary bombs in depth, and the fire quickly ignited the thatch, and then the fire "crackled" and spread in all directions.

This fire not only forced out the Japanese troops hiding in the grass, but also illuminated them with the light of the fire, so the Japanese army became a target under the guns of the Chinese army, especially Zhang Chi's new group...... Because Wang Mazi paid attention to the use of good steel on the blade, he assigned ten of the fifteen tanks in the tank company to the new regiment, so these ten tanks lined up and walked in front, but the "rumbling" sound scared the devil and weakened his feet.

After easily defeating the Japanese troops in front of them, the two Chinese troops on the left and right turned around again and attacked a small hill to the south.

That small hill was only about twenty meters high. Located about five miles before the Lunga defensive circle, he was called "Jack's Helmet" by American GIs because his shape somewhat resembled a British saucer helmet. (Note: Jack is generally used to refer to the British, because the British Navy generally hoists a small flag indicating nationality on the bow of the ship, and this small flag is also called "JACK" in naval language, so Americans often use Jack to refer to the British)

"Jack's Helmet" wasn't originally a dangerous position. Because the altitude is not high, only about 30 meters, and the slope is not steep, such a small hill will become a protrusion on the plain near the airport...... The troops stationed on it will be attacked like a target by the enemy hiding in the grass around it, making it an easy place to attack and difficult to defend.

However, sometimes places that are easy to attack and difficult to defend can change under certain circumstances, such as when the Chinese army has tanks and the Japanese army does not have effective anti-tank equipment, especially if the small hill is located in the middle of the retreat of the Japanese army attacking the American line.

At first, Kawaguchi Kiyoken did not realize this, and he thought that if the enemy occupied the small hill, he could easily take it down by hitting it with a grenadier. But when he saw in his telescope that the tanks of the Chinese army were driving all the way up this small hill in the light of the fire, he couldn't help but open his mouth wide and couldn't close it for a long time.

The next second he gave an order to the staff officer beside him: "Let Okaki Major Zo be ready for battle, no matter what, we must hold the No. 2 height, and we must not let the Chinese tanks go up!" ”

Kiyoken Kawaguchi's No. 2 high ground refers to "Jack's helmet", and the Japanese army used that small hill as a hiding place for reserves...... Although this small hill is easy to attack and difficult to defend, it is not far from the front line, and its anti-slope can also hide a squadron well, which can be replenished in case the front line attack is weak.

But what Okaki didn't expect was that an order from Kawaguchi made him realize that he would soon face the enemy's tanks. And it was also a tank that came up from the left and right flanks.

After receiving the order, Okaki Shaozo didn't think much about it. He didn't have time to think about it, because he even heard the "rumble" of the tanks, but he hadn't realized that the tanks were coming towards him in the dark.

"Everyone!" Okaki Shaozo stood up and ordered his subordinates: "Take your grenades and explosives packs...... We're going to face enemy tanks! ”

The Japanese soldiers of the Gangming detachment were instantly stunned when they heard this order, dealing with enemy tanks? Isn't it attacking the enemy's lines? We don't even have a magnetic anti-tank mine!

But the Japanese army's credo was "absolute obedience", and after a moment of frustration, they quickly prepared grenades and explosives packs...... To the frustration of the Japanese soldiers, they thought that this mission was to attack the enemy's lines. Therefore, most of the grenades they carried were Type 97 grenades that were not easy to tie rather than wooden-handled grenades, because Type 97 grenades were dual-purpose grenades, which could be used as ammunition for grenadiers to be projectile at enemy positions.

But the Japanese soldiers still didn't say anything, and they hurriedly tied the grenades with strips of cloth or leggings and prepared for a simple time.

From this point of view, there is really nothing to say about the quality of the Japanese soldiers. It's just that on the battlefield, it's not the quality of the soldier that determines everything.

The first to hit was a few incendiary bombs fired by mortars...... The best option is to clear the way with incendiary grenades in the dark, as the light of the fire illuminates the terrain ahead and the enemy's position in an instant. It was just that Zhang Chi felt a little uncomfortable that he saw many Japanese soldiers scattering into the grass with explosives bags and cluster grenades in the firelight.

It was obvious that the Japanese army in front of them was already prepared, and they wanted to use the cover of the grass to blow up the tank.

At this time, the fire of the incendiary bombs was not in a hurry to force them out, and the grass was half a man high, and it was difficult for the Chinese troops to find their position as long as the Japanese troops with explosives bags and cluster grenades could lie down wherever they went and then crawl forward for a while.

Needless to say, the tanks would be blown up one after another under the Japanese suicidal charge.

The new regiment consisted of only ten tanks, and most of them were poorly armored Stuarts, which could not withstand the bombing of the Japanese at all.

On the other hand, "Jack's Helmet" needs tanks to build a defensive line, otherwise the small hill that is easy to attack and difficult to defend will not be useful at all.

Thinking of this, Zhang Chi waved his hand at the soldiers behind him and ordered: "All of them, the target is in front of you, rush!" ”

(To be continued.) )