The battle of the puppet Manchurian army can be said to have lost in a daze, and before it could figure out what was going on, it was defeated. The two regiments that attacked the mountain together ran out less than half a battalion. The regiment and teaching team that followed also lost nearly one-third of their troops.

It was only a medium-sized offensive operation, and the 2nd Independent Brigade of the Puppet Manchurian Seventh Military Region, which had more than 3,000 men, lost more than 70 percent of its troops. Together, the three infantry regiments ran back with less than six or seven hundred men. The rest are either still on the hill or taken prisoner.

Looking at the mountain that devoured most of his troops and directly beat himself from the commander of the first brigade to the regiment commander, Zhang Kuiying, who was still complacent just now, almost wanted to cry without tears. At this moment, he hated in his heart the Japanese chief of staff of the military district, Major General Ozawa, who forced him to throw two of the three regiments into the attack.

If this guy hadn't forced himself to invest in the main force, no matter how cunning the opponent was, he wouldn't have lost seventy percent of his troops all at once. Don't talk about the future now, the Kwantung Army Command can give him a severance pay, and it is already very open for him to go home safely for retirement. The fate of Suo Jingqing, who was defeated by Yang Jingyu in Nanman, couldn't help but appear in front of him at this time.

Major General Ozawa, who was still watching the joke just now, saw that the shape was not good at this moment, and he also put away his schadenfreude. Once the Second Independent Brigade was completely defeated, it was of course Zhang Kuiying, the brigade commander, who was unlucky. But as a direct superior, I can't escape the relationship. Seeing that the situation was not good, Ozawa hurriedly hung up the phone to Major General Asaburo Kobayashi to ask for support.

It didn't work, and he took the initiative to ask for help. Major General Kobayashi Asaburo, who had been watching the battle from behind, was waiting for the Chinese to kill each other and was ready to take advantage of the fisherman, and found out that something was wrong as soon as the defenders launched a counterattack.

Finding that things were not going as he expected, Major General Kobayashi Asaburo, who had already sensed that something was wrong, immediately concentrated a large group of troops, on the one hand, to rescue the puppet Manchu army that had collapsed under the opponent's counterattack. In addition, he wanted to take advantage of the opponent's detachment from the fortifications to eliminate this extremely cunning opponent in one fell swoop.

It's just that the Japanese army has just completed its build-up and has not yet had time to enter the battle. The heavy artillery that had disappeared before rang out again. Once again, the dense shells were firmly covering the heads of the newly assembled Japanese troops.

This time it was not only heavy artillery that was fired, but even 75-millimeter field artillery that had never been seen before. Hundreds of 150-mm grenades plus 75-mm field artillery shells created a rain of blood among the Japanese troops. Not only did they cover the attacking defenders, but they also sent nearly half of the Japanese soldiers of this brigade directly into the sky.

Looking at the officers and men of the 37th Wing, who were full of dead and wounded, Major General Kobayashi Asaburo could be described as full of shame and indignation. On the first day, he lost not only the strength of a brigade, but also a brigade of the Manchukuo Army that was fighting in coordination. It's a shame to be thrown home. It's almost more embarrassing than the dead Lieutenant General Sasaki to the first lieutenant general.

Asaburo Kobayashi, who was ashamed and indignant, scolded the incompetence of the aviation in his heart, and dispatched so many troops, but he was never able to destroy the enemy's artillery. While secretly scolding the incompetence of the Manchukuo army. Not to mention that the strength of the two regiments was defeated by the opponent so lightly, and nearly seventy percent of the strength was lost. And judging from the strength of the defenders, the opponent is at most the strength of a battalion. A brigade was actually defeated by a battalion, what is the use of such an army?

Major General Kobayashi Asaburo is a top student at the Japanese Army University, and his reaction speed is absolutely first-class. He keenly noticed from the fact that the opponent's heavy artillery, although it was a little messy, was quite accurate in its landing point, and the opponent must have ambushed artillery observers near him. With this discovery, Major General Asaburo Kobayashi immediately did not hesitate to draw the strength of a squadron and launched a carpet-like search around him.

In fact, Kobayashi Asaburo's sense of smell is still very sensitive. Indeed, in order to ensure that the heavy artillery trained by beginners could at least theoretically hit accurately, Guo Bingxun arranged artillery observers around the predetermined assembly areas of the Japanese army. However, the spotter's location was not north of the Faji River, but on the south bank of the river, on a relatively high ridge of the hill that overlooked both sides of the river.

Due to the limitations of the terrain, except for the artillery left on the south bank of the river, the Japanese infantry could only choose a relatively flat area on the north bank of the Fasi River. In this way, all the positions of the Japanese army were exposed under the nose of this observation post. It can be described as an unobstructed view.

The observation post, which was designed to calibrate the accuracy of artillery fire, consisted of an artillery spotter with a five-watt radio station, and a squad drawn from the reconnaissance battalion all equipped with submachine guns that had just been produced by the arsenal. Their work is actually very simple, the entire area around the Qunce Mountain has already been pre-divided according to the center of the Qunce Mountain, in 360 degrees.

All they needed to do was to provide some simple coordinates that could easily be found on a map, such as 500 meters south of the 90th degree 5 area, according to the location of the Japanese army. You don't even have to report a shooting ruler.

There is no way to do this. Regular artillery training, especially for a qualified artillery observer, is not something that can be mastered in a matter of months. In desperation, Yang Zhen had to figure out an extremely simple method. It is to take the Qunce Mountain as the center, and turn the surrounding area into a circle of 360 degrees within a range of 20 miles.

Taking the coordinates of the central warehouse as the reference point, this circle is divided into four ninety degree areas on average. And all the terrain within the range of these 90 degrees is divided into 90 equal parts. Each one represents one degree. Within each degree of territory, one or several obvious landforms will be found as datum points, and the order will be arranged on the map. For example, the location on the south side is based on the course of the Hoji River.

In this way, the artillery commander only needs to find the enemy's position on the map and cover it from a long distance according to the number reported by the observer, such as 50 meters south of the 37th degree. In this way, although the process is a little cumbersome, it undoubtedly solves the problem of short artillery training time.

However, this scheme can only be used in defensive operations. In the field, one is that there is not so much time to do this. Second, out of the cover fortifications that had been erected in advance, the artillery needed to shift positions several times. Every time the position is shifted, the yardstick has to be reset, how can there be so much leisure time on the battlefield?

Most of these artillery observers were students of the puppet Manchu National High School who joined the army when they captured the county town of Weihe. Although a month is not a long time, this simple method is still quickly mastered.

This is also why, although Kobayashi Asaburo can judge from the order of the cannon sound and the impact point that the opponent's heavy artillery is a beginner, he is still extremely unskilled in using it. But I always can't understand why I still hit it so accurately.

If it is said that the puppet Manchu army came up to take over the 37th Wing to launch an attack on the defenders in front of it, it was the first mistake made in a battle that could already be called a battle scale. Then the third mistake he made was to choose the wrong direction for the local artillery observer to search, and to delay in knocking out the eyes of his opponent who posed the deadliest threat to his next attack.

And the second mistake he made was that he made the second mistake he made by believing that he had already destroyed the heavy artillery group that the opponent had caused him a lot of trouble. He did not know that just after the 37th Wing was bombarded by the first wave of heavy artillery, at his request, the Kwantung Army Headquarters, in addition to some of the light bombers that had already been transferred for ground support, also mobilized an entire team of Type 97 light bombers from the two army aviation bases of Mudanjiang and Jiamusi to launch a carpet bombing on the first line of the Qunce Mountains at the fastest speed and with the usual high efficiency of the Japanese army. Attempt to destroy this heavy artillery group, which poses a great threat to the clearance forces.

In order to completely wipe out this bandit under the dismissal order of the Tokyo base camp and give an explanation to His Majesty the Emperor, Ueda Kenkichi has long lost the petty family spirit that Sasaki bargained for when he moved his troops, and he almost wanted to give anything. It is even authorized that when necessary, Lieutenant General Shigeru Sawada can mobilize the Type 97 heavy bomber squadron stationed in the Harbin area and the heavy artillery wing stationed in Muling to support the operation.

Kenkichi Ueda is generous, and Sawada Shigeru will naturally not be stingy. After receiving a report from Major General Asaburo Kobayashi that the enemy had at least one brigade of heavy howitzers, he immediately mobilized aviation units to launch a carpet-like bombardment of the secret warehouses on the front line of Gunce Mountain, in an effort to destroy this heavy artillery brigade.

The reason why almost all the places where heavy artillery might be hidden on the front line of the Qunce Mountains were bombed by Japanese planes, but they were never able to destroy this heavy artillery group that posed a great threat to the Japanese army, was not because the air force did not work hard. It was really the bombs they dropped that had little effect on their own fortifications built with a large amount of reinforced concrete, except for making an earth-shattering noise. In other words, the fortifications here are too strong.

However, this also reflects the delicate nature of small Japan's efforts to build fortifications according to the different objects of war. In the words of the Japanese themselves, the fortifications here are according to the establishment of the Soviet army, even if several divisions covered by a heavy artillery regiment and a bomber brigade are not expected to be destroyed in a short time. Unless the Soviets can build bombs larger than 500 kilograms.

The little devils are very delicate, and for the Chinese army, which is weak in firepower, they can build the kind of tall and useless turrets that are actually unable to withstand the bombardment of a 75-millimeter mountain shell. However, when the object of the battle was the Soviet army, which had strong firepower, the fortifications built were not only low, but also extremely strong because of the excellent concealment performance of the terrain arrangement.

Its firepower configuration is also extremely reasonable, not to mention that the entire artillery position is poured with reinforced concrete, and a considerable part of it is built underground. Without getting closer, it's almost hard to spot. Due to its proximity to the Sino-Soviet border, most of its artillery bunkers can even achieve 360-degree firing at all. It can be said that the little devil has taken great pains to get here. The reason why Yang Zhen took the risk of choosing this place as a place for troops to rest and train was not simply because of the fact that the lights were dark. It's more about the fortifications here. The fortifications built here are not only difficult for those who do not have heavy firepower to gnaw down. It's just that Yang Zhen still underestimated the ability of the fortifications here to resist blows.

Even for the original owner here, the Japanese army, which had a large number of planes and heavy artillery, it was difficult to take it without paying a heavy price. Although they have the most detailed engineering drawings here. Unless they first build a road in this densely vegetated mountain, they will bring in the 240mm howitzers they call Osaka's treasures.

Or bring in the Type 89 150mm heavy cannon, which they claim to be the most powerful. However, in terms of the lame mobility of the Japanese army, it is almost impossible to transport these powerful but heavy big guys here.

In fact, neither Sawada Shigeru nor Major General Asaburo Kobayashi knew that this secret warehouse located in the Qunce Mountains was not an isolated secret warehouse. It is a combination of fortress groups with the Xingshan Fortress in the north, the Fengxiang Fortress and the Fujin Fortress in the northeast.

It's just different from the other three fortresses that are completely offensive as offensive departure areas. This secret warehouse was not only responsible for providing supplies in wartime, but also for covering the rear of the three fortresses during wartime. Although there are only two squadrons of garrisons in peacetime, in wartime they are garrisons that can accommodate at least one brigade.

In order to ensure the needs of the war, most of the fortifications here were poured with reinforced concrete, except for a small number of civil fortifications. For such an unusually strong fortification, those light bombers carried bombs of no more than 100 kilograms, and there was almost nothing they could do about it.

After receiving the order to grasp the method of using the 150-millimeter howitzers in the reserve here as quickly as possible, Ma Qichang immediately transported the heavy artillery from the warehouse and deployed all of them to several permanent firepower points. There were even six cannons placed directly at the gates of the two warehouses directly facing the direction of the attack of Kobayashi Asaburo in the south. As soon as the gate is opened, no adjustments are needed to shoot at the intended target.

In this way, although the firing range appears to be somewhat narrow, the survivability of artillery and artillery in the face of the superiority of Japanese ground-to-air firepower has been greatly enhanced. But even Ma Qichang is in contact with these big guys for the first time, not to mention those artillerymen who are not even a crash course.

Fortunately, according to the current situation, Yang Zhen formulated an extremely simple method for demarcating the shooting boundary. When necessary, just shoot the shells according to the number reported by the observer. Although it is a beginner, the operation is extremely unfamiliar, not to mention the slow rate of fire, and the explosion point of the shells shot out is too messy.

Anyone who knows a little bit about military common sense, and the rather messy landing point of the shells they fired, will immediately understand that this is a group of artillery operators who are not even rookies. Definitely not the kind of shells fired by old artillerymen who have been trained for many years.

Relying on the simple firing boundary demarcation method formulated by Yang Zhen and relying on Ma Qichang's unified command, although these are just beginning to be familiar with this kind of artillery, the accuracy of these artillery is generally okay. At least not to make a joke about hitting a cannonball on your own head.

It's just that Ma Qichang only dared to let these people carry out covering shooting at the already demarcated firing range, which is equivalent to a semi-fixed target. As for what transcendence shooting, blocking shooting, pursuit shooting, etc., they dare not dare to do anything, let alone come to a free shooting. If you do that, you have to smash the cannonball on your own head. These people are not even familiar with artillery operation, and if they really use these guys as hands-on, then the unlucky ones will be their own troops.

Fortunately, so far, these recruits have played quite normally. Although he was a little tired, he still did not disappoint the commander and chief of staff in the end. Although it does not play a decisive role for the time being, Ma Qichang believes that as long as he is given a period of time, when these people finally mature, they will play more and more well.

Since the artillery under Ma Qichang is still playing normally, there will still be people who will be unlucky after all. Faced with the situation that after an entire brigade was bombed and crippled, the 37th Wing had actually been beaten to pieces, and the remaining troops could no longer fight the situation.

Watching even a squad-scale attack, the wing commander had to lead the brigade combat staff officers to drag the soldiers who were lying on the ground and couldn't get up alive, and the officers and men of the 37th Wing, who could barely stand up, really couldn't bear it. Lieutenant General Shigeru Sawada, commander of the division, proposed that part of the 44th Wing, which was about to arrive, be transferred to replace the 37th Wing as the flank attack. The remaining forces of the 37th Wing were strengthened to the front, and the 61st Wing was used as a frontal attack.

As the commander of the Fourth Division, Shigeru Sawada, who has been in office for more than half a year, is still very clear about the virtues of his troops, especially the virtues of the Eighth Wing and the 37th Wing, and the two original Osaka Wings. These two wings, if they are surrounded, out of love for life, may fight to the death in order to survive. Otherwise, if there is a trace of survival, it is absolutely wishful thinking for them to go desperately.

At the beginning of his tenure, he also tried his best to reorganize these two wings. But more than half a year has passed, not only has it failed to work, but I almost didn't get tired and half died. For these two wings that claim to be not afraid of defeat, for those Osaka soldiers who are like hob meat, Sawada Shigeru almost exhausted all means, but he failed to achieve any results.

For the Japanese officers and men of these two wings, the other Japanese units were simply weak. The other units were all grass-roots officers who were bold and reckless, who did not obey the orders of their superiors during the battle and made up their minds to fight without authorization. In the 4th Division, such an example would never have existed. However, there is often a young lieutenant waiting for a second lieutenant. A lieutenant officer waits for a private.

Shigeru Sawada had seen a lieutenant officer wash a private's feet, but it was a little slower, and it was a reprimand. Later, Sawada Shigeru inquired carefully and learned that this situation was related to Osaka's highly developed business environment since ancient times.

It is likely that the families of many officers of the 4th Division worked in the businesses of subordinates or even soldiers' families. Even if it is not for themselves, for the sake of their families, these high-ranking officers can only be respectful to their subordinates. There is no way, according to the traditional territorial conscription system of the Japanese army, this situation cannot be avoided.

Although the private was only a big soldier, his family had money. Several members of the captain's family worked in the private's family business. For the sake of his family's work, he could only endure the insults of that private. Such examples are rare among the standing divisions of the Japanese army. However, it is common in the kind of ad hoc divisions and regiments composed of officers and soldiers with the reserves.

Is it possible to let such troops go to the front to fight their opponents? Excluding other factors, many grassroots officers alone are afraid that they will accidentally play with the life of their young master, so how can they dare to fight with all their might.

In desperation, Sawada Shigeru could only pray that those people in the base camp would not be dizzy and transfer the Fourth Division, especially these two wings, to the battlefield. Otherwise, the name of the Imperial Japanese Army will probably be lost in the hands of these two wings. Therefore, although Major General Kobayashi Asaburo was tactful, he resolutely demanded that the 44th Wing of the 11th Division be replaced with the 44th Wing of the 11th Division, Sawada Shigeru is understandable.

However, understanding is understanding, but for Sawada Shigeru, replacing all the 37th Wing at once will damage his face after all. However, if the 37th Wing is allowed to continue the attack, I am afraid that the wish of Senior General Kenkichi Ueda will only be frustrated.

After hesitating for a long time, Sawada Shigeru finally took a compromise solution. In addition to urging Major General Kuroiwa Yoshikatsu, commander of the 22nd Brigade of the 11th Division, who had already led the troops to Jiamusi, to speed up the march and make sure to arrive at the designated area before dawn the next day, he divided the troops reinforced by the 11th Division into two equal parts.

Major General Kobayashi was reinforced with one battalion of the 44th Wing plus two infantry squadrons of the 43rd Wing. The rest of the troops were personally commanded by themselves as reserves for a frontal attack. Take over the frontal attack of the 61st Wing when necessary. As for a brigade that originally stayed in Jiamusi to take over the garrison of the Fourth Division according to the plan, he was also transferred out. Strengthen the protection of the northern front, as well as the blockade. As for the 8th Wing, which had been tasked with this task, he had been transferred to the middle line as the general and reserve unit.

Sawada Shigeru's move was originally worried that during the Battle of Xuzhou last year, the Eighth Wing watched the breakthrough troops of the Shina Army slip away from under his nose and ignore the scene again. Avoid these anti-Manchu forces, and break through to the north under the shape shì of an unfavorable situation. It was specially replaced with troops of the 44th Wing.

But I didn't expect that in this way, the blockade of the northern front would be strengthened. With the combat effectiveness of the 11th Division, it can indeed cut off the route of Yang Zhen's headquarters to break through to the north. But the Jiamusi in his rear was empty. And what he didn't expect was that under the pressure of his own troops, this army actually dared to divide troops to attack Jiamusi.