Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 596 can be summarized in three words.
With the heavy casualties of the US 7th Division's withdrawal from the battlefield, the battlefield situation underwent a major change.

U.S. troops halted their advance, and the 1st Marine Division and the 1st Cavalry Division formed a standoff with Army A and Army C.

The US 7th Division, which had retreated from the sea, landed again in Busan and began to rest and reorganize.

In this battle, the US 7th Division was severely damaged, with the 31st Regiment completely wiped out and the 32nd Regiment suffering more than 60% loss.

Only the 17th Regiment of the entire US 7th Division remained combat-ready, but their casualties exceeded 10%.

Meanwhile, the three armies of the 3rd Army Corps were approaching the front line, and the 3nd Corps had also arrived in the Guangjin area.

The Volunteer Army's counterattack was basically in place.

But Shiji hesitated to decide where to throw the punch.

Currently, on the eastern front, the enemy has two relatively prominent positions.

One is Shucheng, and the other is Dijianli.

However, given the current strength of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, it is not yet possible to launch a general offensive against two enemy locations simultaneously; it can only choose one location to strike.

Both of these goals have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Dijianli is right next to the main force of the US military on the western front. Taking this place would allow for a direct advance towards Lizhou.

If they can capture Leeds, the flanks and rear of the US forces on the western front will be under serious threat, and Ridgway will have no choice but to retreat across the board.

Moreover, if we attack Dijianli, the Second General Headquarters is relatively close, which can reduce the fatigue of the troops.

However, the US forces defending Dijianli had made ample fortifications, making it difficult for the troops to take it easily in a short time.

If the fighting in Dijianli becomes protracted, the UN forces on the east, west, and south will immediately come to its aid.

The situation will be very unfavorable for the Chinese People's Volunteer Army at that time.

In contrast, although Shucheng had two divisions of the Southern Army, they were still in a state of flux and had not yet established a complete defensive position.

Moreover, the fighting capacity of the South Korean army was not taken seriously by the Volunteer Army Command; if an offensive were launched, the Volunteer Army could easily take it down.

However, after capturing Shucheng, the US forces on the western front would not be directly threatened, and the overall war situation would not fundamentally change.

The next step for the Chinese People's Volunteer Army was to continue fighting. In addition to taking Yuanzhou in the south of Shucheng, they also had to advance towards Dijianli and Lizhou.

Only in this way can the main force of the US military on the western front be threatened and forced to retreat.

Putting aside the various changes that may occur during continuous combat, the physical exertion from such operations alone is a major problem.

Shiji thought and thought, but still couldn't make a decision.

Ultimately, he sent telegrams to the 3rd and 4th Army Corps respectively, seeking their opinions.

When the telegram returned, Zhisi was even more conflicted.

The 3rd Army Corps wanted to attack Shucheng first, and the 4th Army Corps wanted to attack Dijianli first, and both had very good reasons.

The leader hesitated for a long time.

He actually really wanted to play Di Jianli.

If we can capture Dijianli, it will not only relieve the pressure on the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, but also give us another chance to encircle the main force of the US forces on the western front.

However, Chen Chengxing's telegram, filled with reasons, prevented him from making that decision.

The reason is simple: the commander discovered an important problem in the telegram.

That is, the enemy force in Dijianli was not the reinforced battalion that was previously expected, but a reinforced regiment of the United States and France with eight or nine battalions.

If the battle cannot be resolved within 24 hours once the offensive begins, it will turn into a war of attrition.

This is what the commanders least want to see; a war of attrition is extremely disadvantageous to the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

If he were a fully equipped and newly arrived volunteer soldier in North Korea, he would definitely choose Dijianli.

But now the Chinese People's Volunteer Army has fought three arduous battles, and the 4th Army Corps has fought four.

Not only did they not receive any replenishment of personnel or equipment, but they also did not get sufficient rest.

Frankly speaking, Chen Chengxing's ability to take down tens of thousands of American troops on the western front was already far beyond the expectations of the Chinese Communist Party headquarters.

However, the commander dared not have high expectations regarding the remaining combat strength of the Second General Headquarters.

Standing in front of the huge strategic map, the leader repeatedly traced the two places, Shucheng and Dijianli, with his finger.

Finally, the leader made a tough decision.

He intended to trust the strength of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and launch a decisive attack on the key area of ​​Dijianli in order to turn the tide of the entire war.

However, just as the commander turned around to give the order, the chief of staff strode over and spoke first.

"We received a battle report; the situation has changed."

"The Southern Army's 3rd and 8th Divisions in Shucheng have intensified their attacks, and all rear troops have been deployed to the front lines!"

The commander swallowed the order he was about to give and grabbed the battle report to read it.

The sudden attack by the Southern army tipped the scales in their favor.

The rear of Shucheng has become very vulnerable, which is very advantageous for the Chinese People's Volunteer Army to penetrate and encircle it.

If an attack is launched at Shucheng, there is a possibility of annihilating two divisions of the Southern Army.

If these two divisions of the Southern Army could be completely wiped out, it would also have a crucial impact on the entire war situation.

After all, the US military alone is not enough to build the entire defense line.

The leader immediately made the decision and reaffirmed the ultimate goal.

"Give me the order!"

"Nine divisions of the D, E, and F armies launched a full-scale offensive and annihilated the 3rd and 8th divisions of the Southern Army."

"Tell them that this battle is of paramount importance, and all strategic objectives must be achieved!"

"Yes!"

This battle can be described as a rare and profitable one.

With nine divisions, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army had an absolute advantage against two South Korean divisions and three thousand American troops.

However, the burden on the leader is not light.

Winning at Shucheng is useless; the key is to eliminate as much of the Southern army's manpower as possible.

Only in this way can the overall battle situation be steered in a direction favorable to the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

As for the puppet army, those who know about them know that they are extremely incompetent in battle, but they are also incredibly fast at running away.

Therefore, the goal of annihilating two divisions of the Southern Army is not easy.

In order to achieve his goal, Shiji came up with an extremely reasonable yet ambitious plan.

Two divisions were used to divide the 8th Division in the south, two divisions were used to encircle it, and two divisions were used to penetrate south of Shucheng, cutting off the highway to Yuanzhou.

Finally, three divisions will press forward head-on, driving the enemy into a trap.

The plan is mainly divided into two steps. The first step is to complete the encirclement and division of the 8th Division in the south, so as to ensure that the 8th Division in the south can be completely wiped out and a minimum guarantee can be achieved.

Under the premise of completing the minimum task, try to encircle the enemy forces in the entire city of Shucheng and strive to wipe out the enemy army in one go.

At the 17th Division headquarters, Division Commander Zeng Ruifeng looked at the attendees and said, "We have an absolute advantage in this battle, but winning it will not be easy."

"We've fought the Southern Army before, and the enemy's speed of escape should not be underestimated."

"So the tactics for this battle can be summarized in three words."

Zeng Ruifeng held up three fingers.

"Interweave, interweave, and fucking interweave again!"

"This glorious task has fallen on our shoulders."

"To infiltrate behind enemy lines and cut off their retreat is victory!"

"Does everyone have confidence?"

"Have!!"

"Very good! Everyone get ready and depart on time!"

After nightfall, the 17th Division set off amidst the swirling snow and wind.

Under the cover of its flank units, the 17th Division easily broke through the junction of the enemy's defense zone and began to penetrate behind enemy lines.

However, it is not easy to achieve large-scale penetration on the Korean battlefield.

Especially when traversing through the vast mountainous region in the east, it is even more difficult.

The area is surrounded by mountains, the roads are dilapidated, and the already small village was bombed to pieces by American planes.

I can't even find someone to ask for directions.

Even though the Chinese People's Volunteer Army had mastered infiltration tactics back home, and commanders at all levels were adept at using maps and compasses, once they entered the mountains, they often found themselves staring blankly at the endless peaks.

Just as the 17th Division penetrated behind the enemy's defensive line, Zeng Ruifeng received a telegram that the 531st Regiment, which was leading the way, had been led astray by their guide and had ended up somewhere unknown.

Meanwhile, the division headquarters and the remaining two regiments also lost their way in the mountains.

Inside the division's temporary command post, Zeng Ruifeng was pacing anxiously.

The 17th Division urgently needs someone to ask for directions.

But in the middle of nowhere, where can we find someone?

Just when Zeng Ruifeng was extremely anxious, the widely deployed reconnaissance troops made a great contribution.

As the reconnaissance team was walking in the dark through the snow, they suddenly tripped over something.

Once the soldier had regained his footing and turned around, he immediately burst into laughter.

"Squad leader! Squad leader! The telephone line!"

Upon hearing the shout, the squad leader immediately rushed over.

"What incredible luck!" the squad leader exclaimed excitedly.

"Let's follow the telephone line and trace the clues."

"go!"

With a telephone line, we'll definitely be able to find the enemy's stronghold and then know its exact location.

The group followed the telephone line and made their way to the vicinity of a small village.

Before they even got close, they could hear people laughing and joking in the village.

"They're American devils!"

"Get ready to take action!"

The reconnaissance squad launched a surprise attack on the small village from several directions.

The battle was very sudden and ended very quickly.

In just over ten minutes, more than thirty black soldiers were taken prisoner, completely bewildered.

They couldn't understand why a central army would appear so far behind the front lines.

After the group brought the prisoners back to the division headquarters, Zeng Ruifeng finally understood the general situation of the enemy.

Meanwhile, the missing 531st Regiment also sent good news.

They routed a puppet army unit, and one of the prisoners offered to lead the way.

The 17th Division was finally able to set off again.

The next morning, after a night of arduous travel over mountains and valleys, the vanguard of the 17th Division finally arrived in the Shangri area.

After defeating a small number of enemy troops at the target location, the vanguard of the 17th Division began to quickly seize advantageous terrain on both sides of the road.

Then they realized something was wrong.

"Damn it, what's going on? Where are they?"

Zeng Ruifeng was completely bewildered when he saw the report from the reconnaissance unit.

When he communicated with his superiors earlier, he clearly stated that the enemy at the front lines had already retreated.

However, for the entire morning, the 17th Division only saw small, scattered groups of defeated soldiers, which was completely different from what they had expected.

Unbeknownst to Zeng Ruifeng, a unit appeared in front of them at that moment, blocking the retreating troops for the 17th Division.

As early as when the headquarters issued the combat order, Zheng Yue, the commander of the 18th Division, expressed his dissatisfaction upon reading the telegram.

"Isn't this mission way too easy?"

"Commander, although the task is simple, it is of utmost importance." Political Commissar Li Zhengze said earnestly.

Looking at Li Zhengze's serious face, Zheng Yue was speechless: "Come on, Lao Li, do you even believe it yourself?"

The 18th Division's mission was to break through the enemy's defenses head-on, but anyone who had fought against the Southern Army knew that the Southern Army was notorious for its ability to run away. It was likely that the enemy would have already run far away before any fighting even began.

What's the point of fighting then?
"Old Zheng, this is an order from the headquarters."

"Of course I know it was an order from the Volunteer Army Commander."

"But the Southern army is known for its ability to escape. We can't rely on our brother units to infiltrate; we also need to infiltrate and surround the enemy."

"How do we weave it in?" Li Zhengze was a little confused.

The 18th Division was facing the enemy's frontal defense line; there was no way to penetrate their lines.

“I’ve thought about this for a while now.” Zheng Yue pulled over the map: “We have three regiments. Two of them will tear open the enemy’s defenses from the front, and the other regiment will force its way in.”

"Look here, the road behind the enemy forms a Y shape."

"If the troops that have infiltrated occupy this intersection, it's as if they've choked the enemy."

Li Zhengze was stunned by Zheng Yue's suggestion.

They had fought countless infiltrations since the start of the Liberation War, but this was the first time he had ever seen such a novel tactic.

However, upon further reflection, Li Zhengze realized that the suggestion was excellent.

After all, everyone in North Korea knew about the South Korean army's fighting prowess.

Which regiment do you want to have infiltrate the enemy lines?

“The 542nd Regiment,” Zheng Yue confirmed.

The 542nd Regiment was the strongest regiment in the 18th Division. To penetrate deep behind enemy lines, they had to bring out their trump cards.

Li Zhengze nodded: "Okay, I agree!"

That night, the final assault began.

The 541st and 543rd Regiments fought fiercely and broke through the frontal defenses in just one hour.

The 542nd Regiment plunged into the enemy's rear through the breach.

After penetrating behind enemy lines, the 542nd Regiment recklessly charged forward without regard for anything else.

This infiltration by the 542nd Regiment was completely different from previous infiltrations.

Normally, infiltration involves attacking from the enemy's undefended flanks, but this time, the 542nd Regiment infiltrated right under the noses of the enemy's logistics and support troops.

Under the moonlight, a force of three thousand men was running wildly behind enemy lines.

They ignored the few scattered Southern soldiers they encountered and didn't even bother to disarm them.

The Southern soldiers could hardly believe their eyes; they just stared blankly as the troops sped past them.

In the early hours of the morning, the 542nd Regiment, rushing along, had just reached the Y-shaped intersection when they heard the roar of cars coming from the road next to them.

The soldiers looked up and saw a convoy of hundreds of vehicles speeding toward them.

"It's the US military!"

"Prepare to attack! Prepare to attack!"

At this moment, the US military convoy was completely unprepared.

In their eyes, this was the rear area far from the front lines, and there would be absolutely no problems.

Therefore, when the 542nd Regiment suddenly opened fire, the American troops were immediately thrown into chaos.

"Enemy attack!"

"Suppressive fire! Counterattack! Counterattack!"

"Tanks, advance and suppress the enemy!"

Two tanks emerged from the chaos, preparing to suppress the 542nd Regiment's firing positions and carve out a path for the troops to survive.

However, before they had gone very far, several rockets were launched from the roadside.

After an explosion, the tank remained stationary.

This completely shattered the fighting spirit of the US military.

In just over ten minutes, the 542nd Regiment ended the battle.

"Quickly clear the battlefield, deploy along both sides of the road, and occupy advantageous terrain!"

The American troops in front of us are just an appetizer; the real battle is yet to come.

Sure enough, a little over an hour later, a long line of cars appeared on the highway, their headlights illuminating both sides of the road.

(End of this chapter)