Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 595 Extra: The Battle of Nan'an Mountain

January is the coldest month in North Korea.

Snowflakes falling from the sky covered the devastation that blanketed Nan'an Mountain.

However, this is not good news for the soldiers of Army C.

Cold weather means that physical strength is lost more quickly.

The Volunteer Army already suffered from insufficient logistical supplies, and this was like adding insult to injury.

More importantly, the heavy snow froze Nan'an Mountain solid.

Unlike the US military, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army had no mechanical assistance; the soldiers relied entirely on shovels and picks to dig fortifications, which significantly impacted efficiency.

Inside the underground command post of Army C, Kong Jie convened a combat meeting.

“We have clashed with the US military several times before, and you are all aware of the situation.”

"Our firepower is far inferior to that of the enemy, so we must not let our guard down."

"You've been learning reverse slope tactics and tunnel tactics for more than just one day. Whether you can hold out this time depends on how well you've mastered them."

Although this was the first large-scale positional battle between the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and the US military, the reverse slope tactics and tunnel tactics had already demonstrated their advantages in previous battles.

"Don't worry, Commander. The comrades all know how dangerous it is. Although the position is difficult to dig, the initial fortifications have been built, and now we are digging tunnels deeper."

"Yes." Kong Jie nodded: "The more perfect the fortification, the better."

"If we try to fool it, it will try to fool us."

"How much victory our brother units can achieve depends entirely on how long we can hold out."

"Old Kong, the comrades in the political department have already issued orders to all grassroots units, and everyone knows the importance of this battle," the political commissar said from the side.

"Active defense, fight for every inch of land, and without orders, no one will retreat even half a step."

"We are facing what is probably an unprecedentedly tough battle." Kong Jie's expression was somewhat serious at this moment.

"It is foreseeable that the C army will suffer heavy casualties this time."

"I'd like to say something out of personal consideration: the command headquarters of each division and regiment should consciously retain some key personnel."

"Before all the frontline combat personnel are wiped out, try to save at least one of the commanders or instructors."

Kong Jie knew he shouldn't say such things, but he couldn't help it.

When it comes to fighting to the death, the C Army has never been afraid.

But if he could leave some key personnel in the battalion and company structure, even just one person, he would feel much better.

Everyone nodded silently in response to Kong Jie's words, without saying anything more, including the political commissar.

Just as Kong Jie was assigning tasks to everyone, the 1st Cavalry Division returned.

Putting down the report, Kong Jie said in a deep voice, "Return to your positions!"

"yes!".
Soon, the 1st Cavalry Division, having completed its preparations, launched an attack amidst a deluge of aircraft and artillery fire.

Although C Army's preparation time was short, the pressure was not great because it was anticipated.

The 1st Cavalry Division did not advance an inch throughout the entire day.

However, when the next day dawned, Kong Jiejiu's expression was not so relaxed.

Although he had expected it, Kong Jie was still a little surprised when it actually happened.

As time went on, the main force of the 1st Marine Division, the main force of the British 27th Brigade, the Turkish Brigade, and the South Korean auxiliary forces arrived one after another.

The total number of enemies that Army C faces has reached an astonishing 5.

A basic configuration of a U.S. Army division includes more than one hundred artillery pieces of 100mm or larger, and hundreds of light and heavy tanks and armored vehicles.

The 1st Marine Division not only has more personnel than a typical U.S. infantry division, but also has far more equipment.

Opposite Army C, there are now at least 250 large-caliber artillery pieces and nearly 300 tanks.

Compared to the US military, the C Army currently has fewer than 4 personnel.

The equipment that could be described as heavy firepower consisted of only 24 75mm mountain guns and 42 Type 92 infantry guns.

Besides these, there was only a howitzer regiment that Chen Chengxing had specifically left here, which was short of ammunition.

Kong Jie didn't know how much firepower this howitzer regiment could exert under the suppression of the US military's powerful firepower.

Soon, the US offensive resumed.

With the entry of the 1st Marine Division, the number of American aircraft involved in the offensive suddenly increased.

The U.S. military demonstrated sufficient patience before attacking any of the hilltops.

The US artillery was like an ox plowing the field, using an excessive amount of shells to thoroughly plow the entire hilltop.

While heavy artillery bombarded the area, US aircraft patrolled the battlefield at all times.

As soon as there is the slightest movement on any hilltop, planes will immediately swarm over and drop bombs.

Heavy aerial bombs and napalm bombs will all be unleashed on the mountaintop.

The American tanks would only approach within 200 meters of the position when there wasn't a single large rock left to see on the hilltop.

Then anything on the hilltop that looks like a bunker will be targeted and bombarded.

Only when there's absolutely nothing left to bombard will the tank start up again and approach.

Only then did the US infantry follow behind the tanks, slowly making their way up the mountain.

Of course, if the battle goes against them, the US infantry will immediately retreat under the cover of tanks.

At this point, the C army had no anti-tank weapons other than rocket launchers, which could threaten tanks.

The effective range of a rocket launcher is less than 100 meters. Beyond that distance, it is impossible to hit accurately, and beyond 200 meters, there is absolutely no chance.

Therefore, this simple and brutal tactic caused the C army to suffer greatly.

"Damn, the Americans' firepower is freaking fierce."

"Chen Chengxing is really good at fighting."

In previous battles, the C Army had mostly dominated weaker opponents; this was the first time it had truly engaged in a head-on confrontation with the US military.

This inevitably reminded Kong Jie of the Second General's previous achievements.

At the time, I didn't think ten thousand people was a big deal, but now it seems like it really is nothing.

"Old Kong, putting everything else aside, just this reverse slope tactic and tunnel tactic is really impressive."

"Faced with the bombardment of heavy artillery, the fortifications on the front were basically destroyed in the first round, but our casualties were very few."

"Mm." Kong Jie nodded.

"This tactic can effectively narrow the firepower gap between the two sides, allowing us to withstand the overwhelming artillery fire from the US military."

“However, this tactic is not a panacea,” Kong Jie said seriously.

The reverse slope tactic is not the first time it has appeared in the history of warfare.

While this tactic can reduce the enemy's firepower advantage, it also has an inherent flaw.

The key to reverse slope tactics lies in the struggle for the ridgeline, that is, the summit.

Once the ridgeline is captured by the attacking side, they can directly set up artillery on the mountaintop.

At that time, all of the defending side's positions will be directly exposed to the attacking side's artillery range.

The total length of the ridge is so small that adopting the reverse slope tactic is tantamount to directly giving up one's defensive depth.

This also means that every battle for the defending side is a do-or-die battle with no way out.

Mao'ershan position.

Inside the reverse slope tunnel, the soldiers of the 3rd Platoon of the 7th Company sat on the ground holding their guns, while outside, deafening explosions could be heard.

Inside a small tunnel, Tan Wenfeng checked the Czech-made light machine gun in his hand again.

"Old buddy, it's all up to you now. Don't let the American devils down."

Looking at Sun Wenkai, the ammunition handler beside him, Tan Wenfeng said, "Old Sun, you'd better feed the ammunition quickly so we can kill a few more."

Sun Wenkai casually placed the ammunition in a spot where he could easily get up and charge, and said, "Don't worry, Lao Tan, I guarantee your firepower won't be cut off."

“We all saw it on the Chongchon River; the American devils did a lot of harm to the people.”

"Grandpa Jin and his son were stabbed to death with bayonets, his daughter-in-law was insulted to death, and his grandson was thrown to his death. Only one old woman in the family is still alive."

“If these beasts invade China, our whole family will suffer.”

"As long as I have a breath left, I will never let those American devils come up!"

"Alright!" Tan Wenfeng nodded: "Old Sun, let's fight these beasts to the death today!"

Just then, Tan Wenfeng heard the sound of a military whistle.

This is the whistle of the sentry group soldiers alerting the US infantry to launch an attack.

Tan Wenfeng and Sun Wenkai quickly got up and rushed out.
The ferocity of the battle at Mao'er Mountain far exceeded expectations; in just half a day, the soldiers of the 3rd Platoon had been almost entirely wiped out.

Sun Wenkai's right leg was blown off, but he continued to fight on the front line until his last moment before he sacrificed his life, still firing at the enemy.

After repelling the enemy's attack once again, Tan Wenfeng found that his new ammunition handler was also covered in blood and motionless.

Turning around, the entire position was deathly silent.

"Is anyone else here? Make a sound!"

"Is anyone else here?!"

"return"

Tan Wenfeng opened his mouth but no sound came out.

Finally, he just muttered under his breath, "Fuck those American devils!"

Then, dragging his exhausted body, he began preparing for the next battle.

Tan Wenfeng took off the coats and hats of his fallen comrades on the battlefield, stuffed them with mud, and made a few scarecrows that didn't look very real.

"You guys, give me a little push, help me kill a few more enemies!"

Tan Wenfeng had set up fully loaded submachine guns or carbines in several directions around the position, along with a few hand grenades with their caps twisted open.

Finally, he strapped two grenades to his body, ready to share them with the enemy at any time. Soon, after another barrage of artillery fire, the American troops charged forward once more.

After firing a magazine of bullets with his machine gun, Tan Wenfeng immediately rolled to the side.

Once they reach the new firing position, they will pick up their guns and start firing again.

Tan Wenfeng, disregarding his own life, displayed astonishing fighting prowess.

This also meant that the US military never truly understood the situation on the battlefield.

As casualties increased, the U.S. military quickly carried the wounded and withdrew.

Then, artillery fire resumed, and the American troops charged again.
Tan Wenfeng was unaware of how many enemy attacks he had repelled; he simply fought mechanically.

Until an aerial bomb landed next to him.

The explosion threw up dirt that buried Tan Wenfeng completely.

Fortunately, reinforcements arrived at the Maoershan position at that very moment.

Several soldiers dug Tan Wenfeng's mangled body out of the ground.

"He's still breathing! He's still breathing!"

Upon hearing that Tan Wenfeng was still alive, the platoon leader of the reinforcements immediately ordered, "Several of you carry him to the rear for emergency treatment!"

"The rest of you, the enemy is coming! Counterattack immediately!"
On this day, many positions in Nan'an Mountain were subjected to fierce attacks by the US military, and countless Tan Wenfengs used everything they had to stop the enemy's advance.

However, holding firm does not mean that it will not be breached.

In the afternoon, Xiuxiushan, the frontline position less than one kilometer from the highway, fell.

This is the second test facing Army C: whether they can recapture the lost positions.

As night fell, the 4th Company Commander arrived at the 1st Platoon.

"As instructed by our superiors, we must retake Xiulishan tonight!"

"The first platoon is responsible for attacking the main peak of Xiushui Mountain."

"Platoon leader, is there a problem?"

The platoon leader said with a wry smile, "Company commander, the comrades haven't eaten all day. Could you give them some food to replenish their strength?"

"I have nothing else in my hands." The 4th Company Commander shook his head.

"This is the only thing I can offer." The 4th Company Commander pulled a one-pound piece of compressed dry rations from his pocket.

He got this compressed ration from the regimental headquarters; the regiment didn't have much left over.

The 30 soldiers in the first platoon didn't say much.

After crushing the compressed rations and eating them all with snow water, they went to clean their guns and organize their equipment, waiting for the moment to counterattack.

That night, the Xiushuishan position was successfully recaptured, but at a heavy cost.

Only two people remained in the first row.

After the 4th Company recaptured the Repair Hill position, the US forces once again amassed their forces and launched a fierce attack on Repair Hill.

Throughout the entire Nan'an Mountain position, every hilltop was in constant stalemate.

The battlefield was littered with the bodies of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers and UN troops.

As time went on, yet another unsolvable problem emerged.

That is, a shortage of ammunition.

After the losses in the previous battles, the C Army had less than one basic unit of ammunition before the war, and the army and division logistics carried less than half a basic unit of ammunition.

Despite the C Army's repeated efforts to conserve ammunition, most of the positions still ran out of ammunition.

The repair crew eventually had to use stones to fight back against the enemy.

Inside the command post, Kong Jie frowned as he looked at the reports from each position.

"Although we repelled the Turkish brigade with stones, this is not a solution," said the political commissar of Army C. "Without ammunition, we absolutely cannot hold the position."

Kong Jie nodded: "The US troops in Pingshali have now broken through to Shangshuili. Old Chen's idea is that we can retreat to the second line of defense to continue the defense."

There were no enemy troops left in Pingshali and Tongyuanli, so the 1st Cavalry Division and the 1st Marine Division had no chance of flanking and providing support.

The enemy's continued absence suggests they are attempting to outflank the 4th Army Corps from the rear.

But as long as the C Army still has troops in Nan'an Mountain, the Americans are unlikely to take this risk.

However, retreating in front of the enemy is a very dangerous thing, and it could easily turn into a major defeat.

After considering for a while, Kong Jie ordered, "The 2nd Battalion of the 444th Regiment will reinforce Xiulishan, hold Xiulishan, and cover the withdrawal of the main force!"

Inside the headquarters of the 2nd Battalion, 442nd Regiment.

Li Degong, the battalion commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 444th Regiment, received the order.

"Hold Xiulishan to the death! We'll fight to the death with our position!"

Given the current situation, Li Degong certainly knew what this order meant.

However, Li Degong did not refuse.

Looking at the commander who had come to deliver the order in person, Li Degong made only one request.

"Commander, the battalion is running out of ammunition. Could you give me a few boxes of hand grenades?"

But when faced with this extremely small request, the master shook his head.

"There are no supplies being replenished."

"The division has already distributed all the supplies."

Master thought for a moment and said, "Wait here for me."

After saying that, the commander turned and left the command post. A few minutes later, he returned carrying a net bag and a bottle of wine.

"These are the six cans of beef that were seized earlier, and this is the liquor we brewed ourselves in northwestern Shanxi back then."

"It's all for you."

With that, Master Shi stuffed the thing in his hand into Li Degong's hand, then turned and left.

This was all he could offer.

If supplies still don't arrive after retreating to the second line, everyone in the division will have to eat snow.

Without saying a word, Li Degong bit open the bottle cap and took a big gulp.

"Distribute the canned goods to each company; don't keep any for the battalion headquarters!"

"The wine, one sip for everyone present, the rest is mine!"

"Comrades! Fight to the last man, we swear to live and die with this position!"

Li Degong led more than 800 soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, carrying their meager remaining ammunition, up Xiuxiu Mountain and took over the position of the 3rd Battalion, which had already been almost completely destroyed.

The actions of Army C quickly attracted the attention of the 1st Marine Division and the 1st Cavalry Division.

"The central army can't hold out any longer, they're retreating!" Ridgway exclaimed excitedly.

This was the best news he had received in days.

"Order the 1st Marine Division and the 1st Cavalry Division to pursue the enemy with all their might, defeat them, and then quickly advance westward!"

Although the US 7th Division was trapped in Tukuri, it still had a chance to turn the tide if it could defeat the Chinese blocking forces.

Given the speed of the US military's march, they could have easily blocked the enemy on the south bank of the Han River before the Chinese army retreated.

The US military began to advance rapidly, occupying the front lines left behind by the retreating C army.

Repair Hill was surrounded by US troops from all sides.

In order to continue advancing, the US military needed to remove this obstacle as soon as possible.

Countless shells, aerial bombs, and napalm bombs rained down on the Xiulishan position.

The dust kicked up by the explosion blotted out the sky, making it impossible to see anyone more than ten meters away.

Under the cover of fierce firepower, the US military launched a continuous assault on Baiyun Mountain with two battalions.

By this point, the 2nd Battalion had no more tricks up its sleeve.

Every minute, every second, soldiers fell, but the remaining soldiers had no time to grieve.

After repelling the enemy, the first thing the soldiers had to do was rush out of their positions to collect American weapons and ammunition.

With a determination to die, the 2nd Battalion displayed astonishing fighting power.

The U.S. military used all its firepower and launched a fierce attack on Xiuxiu Mountain for a day with an overwhelming advantage, but it still failed to capture the main peak position.

Enraged by the humiliation, the US military launched another attack on Repair Hill early the next morning, only to be driven back again.

Now, although high-ranking U.S. military officers are still clamoring to flatten Xiulishan, the fighting spirit of the frontline soldiers has clearly declined.

Seeing the American forces switch from a full-scale offensive to continuous harassment by small units, Li Degong breathed a sigh of relief.

"Go, send a few people down the mountain to find some snow and bring it back to quench everyone's thirst."

Under the heavy artillery fire of the US military, there isn't even a speck of snow left on the top of Xiulishan Mountain.

A dozen minutes later, the soldiers who had gone down the mountain to look for snow ran back.

They didn't bring back snow, but they brought back an even more important message.

"Battalion Commander, the American devils have retreated!"

"What did you say?!" Li Degong couldn't believe his ears.

"The American devils have retreated!" the soldier repeated.

"We sneaked up and saw that the main force of the US troops had left the camp and was marching south."

"The remaining small rearguard units are also being organized."

After confirming that everything was correct, Li Degong forced an ugly smile: "That's great."

Li Degong then collapsed to the ground and fainted.

At this point, the 2nd Battalion had been reduced from a reinforced battalion of 6 companies to only 88 men.

(End of this chapter)