Chapter 61: Su Changqing takes control of the German-equipped 87th Division and fiercely strikes the 5th Brigade

On the battlefield, even commanders in the rear are not completely safe.

Before the little Japanese devils dropped this aerial bomb, the system had provided Su Changqing with the optimal choice. Therefore, after the bomb exploded, Su Changqing did not sustain even a scratch on his entire body.

However, the rest of the command staff were not as fortunate as Su Changqing.

For instance, Su Changqing's senior schoolmate was caught in the blast radius of the shrapnel. A jagged piece of bomb shrapnel tore right through the senior's chest, causing blood to flow incessantly. Under the emergency treatment of the military surgeons, although the senior was pulled back from the brink of death, his condition remained extremely critical. If he were to stay on the battlefield any longer, he would most likely die for his country. Furthermore, given his current state, he was utterly incapable of commanding the troops.

Waking up from unconsciousness, the senior grabbed Su Changqing's hand at the very first moment and said, "Changqing, the German-equipped 87th Division is the lifeblood of the Nationalist Party and the elite national defense force of Great Xia."

"I can no longer command the battle. The little Japanese devils possess formidable firepower and extremely high combat proficiency."

"The German-equipped division is the seed of Great Xia's future national defense force, the foundation for building an elite army."

"It is the hope for victory in the War of Resistance."

"Changqing, I know your capabilities."

"Promise me, do not let the entire German-equipped 87th Division perish here."

"Take them and return alive."

"I will petition the Old Man to appoint you as the interim commander of the German-equipped 87th Division."

"Issue combat orders in my name."

"Chief of Staff Lin, transmit my words via telegraph to the capital," Senior Wang said, mustering his last breath to give orders to his staff officer.

"Yes, Division Commander!"

"Changqing, promise me, the German-equipped 87th Division cannot be wiped out in Songhu."

"Promise me!" Senior Wang gripped Su Changqing's right hand tightly, his eyes filled with a sincere plea.

Su Changqing nodded and said, "Alright, I promise you."

Having obtained Su Changqing's affirmative reply, Senior Wang, who could no longer hold on, finally slipped into unconsciousness.

And due to Senior Wang's injuries, Su Changqing was thrust into the role of interim commander of the German-equipped 87th Division.

Of course! To avoid shaking military morale, every single order issued by Su Changqing would be promulgated in Senior Wang's name.

Songhu!

As the fighting grew increasingly fierce and deadlocked, the little Japanese devils, despite their superior force facing the Great Xia German-equipped division, repeatedly failed to break through the Chinese army's positions.

Furious and desperate, the Emperor of the Eastern Empire ordered a large number of elite troops to be transferred to the Shanghu region. In an instant, the number of little Japanese devils in the Shanghu region exceeded two hundred thousand. Not only that, tanks, airplanes, artillery, and numerous warships prowled the waters near Shanghu.

Although the number of Great Xia troops was also continuously increasing, the pressure they faced grew greater by the day. Meanwhile, the high command of the Nationalist Party, in order to draw international attention to this battle and thereby check the invasive actions of the Eastern Japanese devils, continued to order the hundreds of thousands of troops gathered on the Songhu battlefield to fight the little Japanese devils to the bitter end.

Su Changqing felt a deep sense of frustration at the stupidity of the Nanjing leadership.

"General Su, the little Japanese devils' offensive is too fierce."

"The casualties among the front-line troops are extremely heavy."

After several days of intense combat, Su Changqing had gained a thorough understanding of the combat effectiveness of the German-equipped 87th Division. Although the German-equipped divisions were the absolute ceiling of elite forces within the Great Xia military, their coordinated operations between tanks and infantry were abysmal.

Even so, relying on their formidable individual soldier qualities and tactical coordination, they managed to stubbornly lock horns with the little Japanese devils and hold their ground.

Su Changqing raised his wrist and glanced at his mechanical watch. The sky was gradually turning dark, and a plan suddenly formed in his mind.

"Order the front-line troops to hold their positions until nightfall."

"As soon as darkness falls, withdraw immediately."

"Leave the positions to the little Japanese devils."

"Before leaving, set tripwire mines, bury oil drums, and plant explosives."

"As soon as the little Japanese devils' vanguard troops enter the front-line positions, open fire on the front-line positions immediately."

"Order our troops to launch an attack on the enemy's vanguard under the cover of night."

"Yes!"

The orders were swiftly transmitted. By the time darkness fell, the heavily battered front-line troops withdrew in accordance with Su Changqing's instructions.

As soon as the howling little Japanese devils excitedly swarmed into the front-line positions, the Great Xia artillery units hidden in the rear immediately initiated a bombardment. The fierce bombardment inflicted extremely heavy losses on the Japanese vanguard.

When the artillery fire ceased, the 87th German-equipped Division, under Su Changqing's command, recaptured the lost front-line positions once again.

Days passed.

After more than a dozen days of bloody battle, the little Japanese devils' 5th Mixed Brigade had failed to advance even a single step, suffering exceptionally heavy losses.

This situation eventually drew the attention of the Japanese Shanghu Expeditionary Army Headquarters.

"Why has the Hongkou Yangshupu position still not been captured?"

"What is Inoue 村树 (Cunshu) of the 5th Mixed Brigade doing?"

Matsui Iwane, commander-in-chief of the Japanese Shanghu Expeditionary Army, asked with an expression of displeasure.

"Your Excellency, General Matsui, the Chinese troops defending the Hongkou Yangshupu position are the 87th German-equipped Division of the Chinese nation. Their combat effectiveness is extremely formidable. When Colonel Inoue attacked the Hongkou Yangshupu position, he suffered extremely heavy losses."

"The defensive fortifications of these Chinese troops are exceptionally well-constructed, and the imperial artillery attacks cannot inflict massive casualties upon them."

"The positions captured by the empire's brave soldiers during the day are invariably recaptured by these Chinese troops at night."

"The Chinese troops at the Hongkou Yangshupu position are truly the most elite force of Great Xia."

Matsui Iwane looked at the Hongkou Yangshupu position on the map, his brow furrowed tightly.

"No matter how elite a force is, they are still Chinese troops."

"The empire's army cannot be stalled indefinitely by Chinese resistance and fail to advance."

"At present, the Imperial Army has already formed an encirclement around the 800,000 troops on the Songhu battlefield."

"The Hongkou Yangshupu position is one of the crucial points. Without taking the Hongkou Yangshupu position, we cannot swallow up the Chinese army's 800,000 troops in one gulp."

Matsui Iwane's tone was extremely stern.

"Tell Inoue Cunshu that if he cannot take the Hongkou Yangshupu position, he should commit seppuku to atone for his failure before His Majesty the Emperor."

"Hai! (Yes!)"

On the other side, Su Changqing, with bloodshot eyes, stared intently at the map. From the trends of troop movements on the Songhu battlefield map, Su Changqing had already caught a whiff of an unusual scent.

"Hangzhou Bay!"

"The little Japanese devils' target is Hangzhou Bay."

"As long as the little Japanese devils land at Jinshanwei, cut the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway, and join forces with the Northern Route Shanghu Expeditionary Army to encircle the Great Xia army,"

"They can utilize naval gunfire support and aerial bombardment to destroy the Great Xia army's defensive fortifications, and use armored forces to break the stalemate of positional warfare."

"The little Japanese devils are utterly obsessed with outflanking, enveloping, and flank-breaching tactics."

"They are attempting to exploit the weak flank defenses of the Great Xia army, outflank the rear of Shanghu from Hangzhou Bay,"

"Concentrate their firepower to attack the core of the Great Xia army's defense line, capture Dachang, and force the Great Xia army to retreat to Suzhou Creek."

"And then, swallow up the more than 700,000 Great Xia ground troops in the Songhu region in one gulp."

"What an enormous appetite!"

Su Changqing sighed as he looked at the map.

If the little Japanese devils were indeed allowed to achieve their strategic objective, even if those 700,000-plus Great Xia ground troops were not completely annihilated, they would suffer catastrophic losses.

The capital leadership lacked understanding of the little Japanese devils' penchant for outflanking tactics and grew lax in their precautions, even going so far as to completely strip away the Cantonese forces defending this area during the fierce battles of Shanghu. This resulted in a mere dozen or so companies stationed at Hangzhou Bay when the little Japanese devils landed.

Once the little Japanese devils landed at Hangzhou Bay, the defense there would be shattered instantly. Following that, the little Japanese devils could march north in great numbers to outflank and attack Songjiang, while simultaneously the Japanese Shanghu Expeditionary Army would land at Baoshan north of Shanghu and outflank southward.

By then, the Great Xia army on the Songhu battlefield would be in grave danger.