Songhu: Never Give Up

Chapter 49: Second Battle at Patriotic Women's University (Seeking Follow-up Reading)

After shooting down a Japanese plane, Zhou Xin whistled proudly, but he was not the first to do so;

Long before him, Captain Gao Zhihang had already shot down a plane with his superb skills. At the same time, Squadron Leader Li Guidan and pilots Liu Zhesheng and Wang Wenyi jointly shot down a plane, so Zhou Xin could only rank third.

The fourth place was another squadron leader, Zheng Shaoyu, who was also an underground party member of the Red Army. The Fourth Battalion opened fire and shot down four Japanese planes in one go. The temporary record was 4 to 4.

Obviously they would not be satisfied with this result. Seeing the Japanese speeding away, Zhou Xin chased after them on a Japanese bomber.

Captain Okubo seemed to sense the approach of death, and fled in a panic, muttering to himself as he fled:
"Aunt Amaterasu, please protect your people. I don't want to die!"

Captain Okubo seemed to see his mother waving at him through the hood. Next to him was the cherry blossom tree in front of the house. It looked so beautiful...

"Mom—Ah Ma Die!"

At this moment he regretted coming to China to fight and couldn't help but call out.

"Puff puff……"

Several large-caliber bullets hit the wing of his plane, instantly igniting a raging fire, and the billowing smoke made him terrified!

"Ya Ma Die!"

The plane plunged headfirst and smashed to pieces. Zhou Xin scored twice and shook the wings proudly, as if he was showing off to Yue Qianli who was fighting fiercely at the Baji Bridge.

The eldest brother won the first battle, and his brothers are not far behind!
Patriotic Women's University, the battle is in full swing

The main forces of the 87th and 88th Divisions had been ordered to launch a fierce attack on the Hongkou and Yangshupu areas. This was a battle to clear out the outlying strongholds. In order to protect the Marine Corps Headquarters, the Japanese had established more than strongholds of various sizes in the outskirts.

As the main attacking force, the 88th Division assumed the main combat tasks and had cleared more than a dozen strongholds. The remaining Japanese troops all retreated to the Patriotic Women's University and put up a stubborn resistance. The 264st Battalion of the 527th Regiment of the th Brigade attacked three times in a row, but were pushed back by the Japanese each time, resulting in heavy casualties.

Brigade Commander Major General Huang Meixing was furious:
"There are only about a hundred Japanese soldiers left in the stronghold. A regiment has been attacking for a whole morning but still hasn't taken it. Are Liao Lingqi and his men holding firewood sticks?"

Deputy Brigade Commander Colonel Gao Zhisong quickly explained:
"Senior, the Japanese have turned the Patriotic Women's University into a fortress. The 527th Regiment was bombed by a large number of aircraft during the attack, and suffered heavy casualties."

"That's not an excuse! Isn't the Second Battalion of their regiment very capable? Why wasn't it sent up?"

Brigade Commander Huang suddenly remembered the Second Battalion, which was in the limelight, and called on the general of the Second Battalion.

Deputy Brigade Commander Gao had fought alongside Yue Qianli during the First Battle of Songhu, so he had some impression of him and quickly replied:
"The Second Battalion is still at Baji Bridge—"

"Send the 528st Battalion of the th Regiment to replace them. Order them to rush to the Patriotic Women's University immediately. They must capture the stronghold before dark!"

Deputy Brigade Commander Gao was also full of expectations for Yue Qianli and immediately sent someone to inform Yue Qianli.

Half an hour later, Yue Qianli handed over the Baji Bridge defense zone to the brother unit and ran to the Patriotic Women's University for assistance.

When they arrived, it was already two o'clock in the afternoon, and there were only a few hours left before dark, so time was very tight.

Liao Lingqi stopped talking nonsense and said to him directly:
"Captain Yue, the brigade commander has issued a death order. The first and third battalions have failed to capture the city several times and suffered heavy casualties. Now it's up to you. Go ask Captain Deng and the others for the specific situation."

Yue Qianli suddenly remembered that the Japanese aircraft group had bombed the troops attacking the Patriotic Girls' School many times, causing thousands of casualties and the brigade commander being shot and killed. He quickly said:
"Commander, this is left to our Second Battalion. The main force should quickly withdraw to other places. If we crowd together and the Japanese planes come over, the consequences will be disastrous!
In addition, we suggest that the brigade evacuate as soon as possible in the name of the regiment. If something goes wrong with them, we cannot bear the responsibility. Liao Lingqi thought about it and accepted Yue Qianli's suggestion, then said:
"Then I'll leave Patriotic Women's University to you. I'll suggest to the brigade to evacuate, but I can't control whether they listen or not. He's the brigade commander, and he can crush people with his higher rank."

Yue Qianli thought this was the only way, as Whampoa students always led the charge in every battle, and even the generals were always at the front. This tradition, which had been developed over a long period of time, was difficult to change.

After the main force of the 527th Regiment withdrew, the Second Battalion launched a fierce attack on the Patriotic Girls' School. He sent all the mortars and rocket launchers from the First Company, the Second Company and the machine gun company to support the attack, leaving only the Third Company, the rocket launcher platoon and the battalion headquarters with him.

The attacks of the first and third battalions were not without effect. At least they squeezed all the Japanese into the main teaching building. There were also a small number of Japanese in the two adjacent buildings.

After a round of firepower reconnaissance, Deputy Battalion Commander Liao Jianping had already made up his mind and said to Second Company Commander Ai Jian:
"Captain Ai, although the main force of the Japanese has retreated to the main building, the machine gun fire points in the auxiliary buildings on both wings are very threatening and can almost block the frontal attack route;
I will send the second platoon to launch a feint attack to the front to attract the enemy's firepower. Your company will be responsible for knocking out the enemy's firepower points and then taking down the auxiliary building. Is there any difficulty?"

Ai Jian said confidently:
"With the rocket launcher, it's easy to destroy the Japanese's firing point. Just wait and see how I deal with them!"

After the two brothers agreed on the tactics, the second platoon of the first company once again launched an attack from the front. Their formation was very scattered, but they brought a lot of pressure to the Japanese.

In the main teaching building, the expression of Major Ito, the captain of the 3rd Marine Battalion, turned serious, and he said to Captain Umeda standing beside him:
"Umeda-kun, I seem to smell a familiar smell, the enemy has changed their generals!

If I'm not mistaken, our old rival is here."

Captain Umeda said with full fighting spirit:
"Anyone who comes here will die. It would be a good opportunity for our old rival to avenge his previous defeat."

Major Ito didn't want to undermine his self-confidence. Now that they were surrounded, they couldn't affect their morale, so he said insincerely:
"Yoshi, Umeda-kun has such a domineering attitude, which is great!
Then let Captain Ito have a good meeting with them."

"DaDaDa..."

"Tattoo..."

Seeing the second platoon launching an attack, the machine gun fire point in the annex building finally couldn't help but open fire at them. Two long tongues of fire swept towards the second platoon, instantly knocking down several soldiers wearing German steel helmets. When they fell, their chests were facing forward. There were no cowards under the M35 helmets!

The second platoon also returned fire under the command of the squad leader, and the bullets hit the walls and sandbags with a popping sound;

Since the Japs had covered the machine gun muzzles with sandbags, it was harder to hit them than with a lieutenant general, so they could only serve as a distraction. Under the crossfire from the left and right wings, the casualties of the second platoon continued to rise.

At the same time, two platoons of the second company also launched an attack on the auxiliary building to tie down the enemy's firepower and reduce pressure on the front.

Because the Japanese were seriously short of manpower, they deployed a Type 8 heavy machine gun and an infantry squad in the auxiliary buildings on both sides, which together had the strength of only a squad. In addition to the heavy machine gun, there was also a light machine gun and rifles.

Under the attack of three platoons, the firepower on both wings was fully opened, suppressing the attacking force in the open area in front of the building. Looking around, there were only sacrificed Kuomintang soldiers, most of whom were left over from the first and third battalions.

Although the Second Battalion had a great advantage in manpower, they were unable to attack at all. Captain Hashida said arrogantly:

"Yoshi, our old rival is no better than this!"

His voice suddenly stopped, his eyes filled with fear, and several rockets whizzed towards the firing point of the annex building;
Major Ito closed his eyes in pain. What he was worried about still happened...

Today is the third update. Please read, collect, vote and recommend. Tomorrow, the five chapters will be combined into three chapters, 10,000 words, and it will be published at 12 o'clock, one chapter at noon and one chapter at 6 o'clock in the evening. I will try to increase the recommended volume. I hope all readers will support me.

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(End of this chapter)