Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 125 New Crisis

"Reporting to the Commander, the troops at the front have encountered enemy resistance." The scout reported.

"What?!" Tanaka Itsuki looked shocked.

The enemy even had troops surrounding them.

"Officer Ozawa, abandon all supplies immediately and break through the encirclement. Once the enemy forms an encirclement, we'll be in trouble."

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander."

"Dump the baggage, travel light, and attack!"

"Artillery, provide me with fire support," Staff Officer Ozawa immediately ordered.

"Company commander, the Japanese are trying to break out," the platoon leader of the third company reported to his company commander.

"Damn it, these little devils dared to stand us up! Soldiers, give them a good beating!"

"Platoon leader, you go to the front line and hold it. Don't let the Japanese get away."

"Yes, Captain."

"What are the artillerymen doing? Suppressing enemy fire!" the third company commander cursed.

The artillery company commander, who was in command, had just sneezed a few times and cursed:

"Damn it, who's talking bad about me behind my back?"

"All units, take your positions and fire upon the enemy's breakout direction!" The soldiers under the command of the 2nd Artillery Company Commander fired shells at the Japanese.

"Commander, I will cover your retreat," Staff Officer Ozawa said decisively to Tanaka Itsuki, seeing that the remaining Imperial Army troops were becoming increasingly numerous.

“No, as the commander of the troops, I must stay with my soldiers.” Tanaka Shu resolutely refused. For a commander, abandoning his troops and running away would be a disgrace.

"You two, tie up the Commander and take him back to his quartermaster!" Staff Officer Ozawa decisively ordered the two soldiers beside Tanaka Itsuki.

"Commander, we apologize." After saying this, the two soldiers dragged Tanaka Itsuki into the charge.

"Warriors of the Empire, for the glory of our Empire, for His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, charge!" Staff Officer Ozawa led the remaining fighting Japanese soldiers in a suicidal attack on the positions of the Third and Fourth Companies.

"Damn it, those Japanese devils have gone mad." The third company commander saw the Japanese soldiers charging towards them like madmen, and the regimental commander's words echoed in his mind.

If the Japanese soldiers on the battlefield suddenly go berserk, we must avoid close contact with them and kill them from a distance. At this moment, they are a bunch of madmen. We must not sacrifice the lives of our militia soldiers to accompany them.

"Retreat! Keep your distance from these lunatics!" The third company commander immediately ordered his troops to retreat while fighting, wearing down the number of these Japanese lunatics. Seeing a gap in the enemy's encirclement, the Japanese soldiers behind dragged Tanaka Itsuki out and ran towards the county town.

"Company commander, a few Japanese soldiers have broken through the encirclement," the platoon leader said.

"Never mind that, let's deal with the Japanese first."

"Yes."

Staff Officer Ozawa smiled with relief as he watched the Commander charge out. Shot multiple times, he could no longer hold on and collapsed on the way to the attack. The glory of the Empire that filled his mind was extinguished with his death.

"Commander, apart from a few who escaped, the rest of the Japanese were wiped out, and most of the puppet troops were captured by us," Niu Dali reported as he ran over.

"You shall immediately lead the 1st Company of the Reconnaissance Battalion, the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion, the 1st Mortar Company of the 1st Battalion, and the 2nd Mortar Company of the 1st Battalion to the Sanjiaji stronghold and launch an attack. We must take the Sanjiaji stronghold as soon as possible and ensure the safe withdrawal of the logistics troops."

"Commander, have the Japanese troops in the county town started providing reinforcements?" Niu Dali asked.

"Xiao Hu just sent a telegram saying that everything is normal in the direction of the county town and no Japanese troops have been dispatched to reinforce the Sanjiaji stronghold."

"Commander, have the Japanese in the county town not received the news yet?" Niu Dali asked suspiciously.

"Now it seems so. The Japanese commanders really lost their minds. But this is to our advantage. The later the Japanese support the Sanjiaji stronghold, the safer it is for us."

"Yes, Commander, I'll set off immediately."

"When the time comes, have Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang assist you in the attack, and be sure to take it down as quickly as possible."

"Yes, Commander, leave it to me." Niu Dali turned around and returned to the position to begin assembling the troops.

"Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Company; 1st Battalion, 3rd Company; 1st Battalion, 1st Mortar Company; 1st Battalion, 2nd Mortar Company, the regimental commander orders you to assemble immediately." Niu Dali instructed the communications soldier to notify the soldiers of each company to assemble.

Before long, the soldiers of each company had assembled, leaving only the 4th Company of the 1st Battalion cleaning up the battlefield.

"The 1st Mortar Company and the 2nd Mortar Company of the 1st Battalion, depart immediately by car. The remaining soldiers shall run forward. Target: Sanjiaji Garrison."

"Yes."

After all the artillerymen had boarded the vehicles, Niu Dali led his troops out. At that moment, Tang Weiguo was by the radio, constantly monitoring news from various units.

"Reporting to the commander, Staff Officer Long has just returned. With the help of the miners, they have cleaned up the battlefield and are now leading the logistics team toward the river mouth stronghold."

“Great! Tell Staff Officer Long to blow up all the tunnels without holes to reduce the Japanese’s recovery time. Also, destroy the roads along the route. I remember there are explosives in the coal mines; have Staff Officer Long use them all.”

"Yes, Li Qin."

When Xiaoqing arrived at the coal mine, Long Wenying received orders and immediately notified the troops to begin the mission.

"Have all the explosives been planted?" asked Long Wenying, the second company commander of the reconnaissance battalion.

"Report, Staff Officer Long, the explosives have all been planted. Not a single explosive in the Japanese warehouse has been wasted."

"Okay, retreat immediately and prepare to detonate."

"Yes, Staff Officer Long."

After all the troops of the reconnaissance battalion withdrew from the Xiaoqingshan coal mine and reached a safe area, Long Wenying immediately ordered the explosives to be detonated.

At Long Wenying's command, a violent explosion rang out at the Xiaoqingshan Coal Mine, blasting a large hole in the mountainside on one side of the mine. Looking at his masterpiece, Long Wenying clapped his hands in satisfaction.

"Retreat quickly, we'll meet up with the regimental commander at the river mouth." With that, Long Wenying led the large group toward the river mouth stronghold.

. . . . . .

At the Japanese county headquarters, Masatoshi Ikeda had just sat down in his office that morning when his communications officer ran over to report:

"Commander, Commander Tian Zhongshu of Qingyun County has sent a telegram. A Chinese army unit is about to pass through Sanjiaji on its way back to the Wolong Mountains. We are to make sure to annihilate this Chinese army unit in Sanjiaji."

"Oh, this Chinese army will return to the Wolong Mountain area?"

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander."

"Wolong Mountain, Tangjia Town militia, hehehe, I didn't expect to be at each other's throats so soon." Ikeda Maken sneered.

"Notify the troops to assemble immediately. We're setting off. This time, I'm going to have a good look at this Chinese army."

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander."

"Notify the garrison at the Sanjiaji stronghold to hold out until reinforcements arrive."

An hour later, Masato Ikeda led a full-strength battalion and a fully-equipped puppet army to pursue the Sanjiahe stronghold.

"Report, Commander, Tang Xiaohu sent an urgent telegram: a full-strength battalion of Japanese soldiers and a regiment of puppet troops, totaling more than 3000 men, have been dispatched from the county town to reinforce the Sanjiaji stronghold."

"Reply: Order Tang Xiaohu to do everything possible to accelerate the Japanese advance."

"Order: The entire mountain artillery battalion is to move out and target the Sanjiaji stronghold."

"Order: Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang shall immediately lead the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Companies of the 1st Battalion, as well as the mountain artillery battalion, to prepare for an attack on Sanjiaji."

"Order: Li Debao and Zhou Liansheng to immediately support Tang Xiaohu and slow down the Japanese reinforcements."

"Yes, Captain."