newbobooks Chapter 217 Determination
Chapter 217 Determination
Liu AL, Chief of Staff of the 115th Group Army, led the 343rd Tank Division, supported by heavy artillery, in a fierce attack on the German northeastern defenses. The Germans, consisting primarily of one tank division and two grenadier divisions, defended with all their might, and the two sides were evenly matched. The first phase of the tank offensive, which took place at the same location, resulted in heavy losses on both sides, leaving the positions in ruins.
Tanks from both sides moved through the rubble, accompanied by the roar of artillery fire and explosions. The rubble on the battlefield became an obstacle for the tanks on both sides, forcing them to carefully avoid it to avoid getting stuck. At the same time, the rubble also provided cover for both sides, allowing them to hide in the darkness and wait for the opportunity to launch an attack.
In the darkness, artillery shells streaked through the sky like meteors, leaving dazzling trails before exploding at certain points, creating a dazzling display of light. The explosions shook everyone's soul, straining the soldiers' nerves to the breaking point. No one knew where the enemy would appear next, nor whether they would become a target. Every firing carried a huge risk; if exposed, they could face a fierce enemy counterattack.
The exchange of fire between the two sides was not as intense as that in the direction of the 17th Army in the southwest, but it was no less brutal. After more than two hours of fighting, both sides lost dozens of tanks, and the surviving tanks/tank destroyers were less than half of the full strength.
The battles between the 342nd and 345th Infantry Divisions and the two German Grenadier Divisions were also brutal. Originally, the German SS Grenadier Divisions had an absolute advantage in terms of organization and firepower, and were well-positioned and well-rested, waiting for the enemy to attack. They had every chance of defeating the 342nd and 345th Divisions, or even launching a counterattack.
The Chinese army, taking advantage of the cover of darkness, used traditional Chinese tactics of infiltrating small groups of troops to great effect. Using the cover of darkness, the Chinese soldiers quietly infiltrated the German positions. Their ghostly presence caught the Germans off guard, forcing them to rely on their strong positions for resistance.
The offensive of the 342nd and 345th Divisions was not without its challenges. The coordinated firepower of the Germans put immense pressure on them, especially the MG42 machine gun, nicknamed "Hitler's chainsaw." Its rate of fire, 1200 rounds per minute, inflicted unprecedented fear on the Chinese soldiers. In the darkness, this web of fire mercilessly harvested lives, illuminating vast swathes of the area.
While the Germans' firepower was formidable, it struggled to unleash its full potential in darkness. The Chinese counterattack teams, undeterred, exploited the cover of darkness to close in on the German machine gun fire points. Mortars, bazookas, and even Soviet-made rocket launchers became their formidable weapons against the Germans. With precise fire and fearless courage, they targeted and eliminated the German fire points. Each successful attack was accompanied by cheers, but even more so, by the sacrifice of their comrades.
In the northeast, the two sides were in a stalemate; in the southeast, the German army used a powerful tank cluster to decisively and fiercely attack the 17th Army's defense line.
The 200nd Division of the 602th Army was almost destroyed. Including the division commander Wu Bairen, nearly 3% of the 4000 to 90 people who retreated in the first step were killed in battle. The position was eventually broken by the German army. Of course, the German army did not end up well either, losing nearly 200 tanks and armored vehicles of various types, almost one-fifth of the existing armored forces of the 4th Tank Army.
Li Pinxian had already learned the tragic news of General Wu Bairen's heroic sacrifice, and he signaled Chief of Staff Gao not to report it yet. By then, approximately 17 men from the th Army had retreated, and the Germans had already reached the second line of defense.
Li Pinxian took a PPSh from the guard with a calm expression. He slowly said, "General Wu's mission has been accomplished. Now it's our turn." After that, he waved his arm violently towards the members of the 17th Army Group Headquarters and was about to lead everyone into the position.
At the entrance to the headquarters, they were blocked by a group of logistics soldiers. Their leader was the logistics major general whom Li Pinxian had originally intended to dismiss and execute. He addressed Li Pinxian, "Commander, you are the group army commander. It's not your turn to go to the front lines yet. General Wu saved my life. I will defend the position behind General Wu. If I can't hold it, I will accompany General Wu and then come to you, Commander."
Then, the major general turned around and shouted to the people in the headquarters behind him: "Keep an eye on the commander. The 17th Army still depends on him!"
As this group of soldiers, who were mainly responsible for logistics and supplies, resolutely left, every soldier of the 17th Group Army present could not help but burst into tears. Unknowingly, a wall as strong as steel was built in the 17th Group Army.
Lieutenant General Liang gathered all the tanks and launched a desperate charge on the German tank cluster from the flank. The armored forces of the 17th Army seemed to burst out with fearlessness all of a sudden. Under the influence of such courage, they burst out with amazing combat power. Although there were only 7 or 80 tanks, they had the momentum of a tank army. They broke through a corner of the huge German camp in one breath and cut into the German camp abruptly.
By this time, the sky was already getting light. Dorman was stunned to see all this from a distance, muttering to himself, "These Chinese are crazy!"
The only tank unit of the 17th Army resolutely rushed into the enemy group. Facing the huge German tank group, it was undoubtedly launching a suicidal attack. The German tank group had to adjust the focus of the battle and concentrate its forces to deal with this troublemaker as a priority.
The German tank cluster slowed its attack on the 17th Army's frontal positions, giving Li Pinxian and his men an opportunity. The divisions engaged in the chaotic battle ahead gradually withdrew. Although exhausted, upon hearing the story of Commander Wu of the 602nd Division and the 802nd Division, who had defended the position at the cost of near annihilation, officers and soldiers alike silently took up their weapons and marched to their positions. Their hearts burned like blazing flames, and each one entered the battlefield with a determination to die. With their weapons in hand, they charged straight at the Germans, their weapons blazing with fury.
Gu Du, the commander of the 602st Regiment of the 1nd Division, was surprisingly still alive. Hundreds of soldiers from the 802nd Division had gathered around him, all wounded. But none of them were afraid, none were cowardly. Ignoring the Chief of Staff Gao's dissuasion, they rushed to the battlefield. Those without weapons searched the ground. By then, the battlefield was littered with dead and scattered weapons. Some soldiers even climbed onto wrecked German tanks and dismantled the still-perfect German machine guns. Equipped with a wide variety of weapons, they bravely rushed to the front lines...