Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Just as the Vietnamese 312th and 327th Divisions were being routed, the main force of the Chinese army began to advance from three directions: Dong Dang, Loc Binh, and Than Long.

The Vietnamese army's positions were being continuously squeezed.

When the 312th Division was surrounded and annihilated, the 163rd Division also captured the last barrier of Lang Son, Kouma Mountain, and there were no more obstacles to reaching Lang Son.

At the same time, the 164th Division also pushed all the way from Tham Long to the northeast of Lang Son, directly threatening the city of Lang Son.

In the Loc Binh direction, the Vietnamese 123rd and 155th Regiments were also utterly overwhelmed.

The rapidly deteriorating situation gave Tan Guangzhong a splitting headache.

He was considering sending the 338th Division to support Luping. If they could launch a two-pronged attack, they might be able to turn the tide and win.

As a result, the 338th Division itself was beaten so badly that it couldn't even lift its head. Not to mention supporting Luping, they were constantly requesting reinforcements from Luping.

With no troops available, Tan Guangzhong could only hope that the Lang Son defense line was strong enough.

On March 1st, the central army, having completed all preparations, began a fierce bombardment of Lang Son City.

Nineteen artillery battalions and more than three hundred large-caliber heavy cannons turned Lang Son into a sea of ​​fire.

The shelling never stopped for a whole day.

The artillerymen's hands were scalded and blistered, but the soldiers wrapped them with wet towels and continued to work hard shirtless.

Such intense artillery fire put the Vietnamese army under tremendous pressure.

Le Duan was also very uneasy in Hanoi.

"General Obaturu, Vietnam is at a time when it needs help the most. If Soviet Russia cannot play a key role, Hanoi may not be safe."

"Chairman Li, rest assured, I have received the telegram. The Far Eastern Front has completed its assembly, and the military exercises will begin soon."

Although the Chinese army had previously held air superiority, no one could have predicted that Vietnam would collapse so quickly.

After all, they didn't do this when they fought France or the United States.

Once the central army captures Lang Son, they can march on Hanoi within two days.

At this point, the Soviet army had to take action, even if it was just for show.

Otherwise, the consequences will be disastrous.

"Retreat? The food's already on the table, and you're retreating now?!"

Looking at the order from his superiors, Li Yunlong looked unwilling.

Following orders from higher command, all units were to complete the task of eliminating the enemy in front of them and then proceed to a search and annihilation phase. The entire army was to withdraw on the 5th.

“There’s already been activity in the north,” Ding Wei said. “The Soviet Union has amassed 25 troops, 2600 tanks, and 900 new fighter jets on the border.”

"Although the official rhetoric of the Soviet Union was that it was a military exercise, we must be prepared for the risk of Soviet military intervention."

Throughout history, there have been countless wars launched under the guise of military exercises.

Therefore, official statements from Soviet Russia should not be taken seriously.

"And there's another thing. The battle reports these past few days indicate that the rains are becoming more and more frequent. The rainy season is approaching in northern Vietnam, and we must withdraw before it arrives."

The power of nature is far beyond imagination; once the rainy season arrives in Vietnam, it will severely restrict the operations of mechanized forces.

Unfortunately, all of the Chinese army's units are now mechanized.

"I just feel a little regretful." Li Yunlong put down the documents, a hint of reluctance on his face.

However, Li Yunlong was no longer the naive young man he once was. He stood up straight, ready to give orders.

Just then, the loudspeaker nearby came on.

It's a Vietnamese broadcast.

Seeing the translator's somewhat surprised expression, Li Yunlong asked, "What did they say on the broadcast?"

"This is a news report broadcast nationwide in Vietnam. They claim that they have utterly defeated six of our divisions."

"They also said that Lang Son's defenses were like an impregnable fortress, and that no Chinese person could set foot in Lang Son."

"Falling flowers and flowing water? Aren't you afraid of biting your tongue in the wind?" Li Yunlong was so angry his nose almost twisted out of shape.

"Did we shell a fake Lang Son yesterday?"

"If he can't even set foot in Lang Son, then I'll show him what true domination is!"

Anyway, what the higher-ups said was to deal with the enemy in front of us. So who is the enemy in front of us on the eastern front?
It's just Lang Son.

"Pass on my order: artillery positions will launch a half-hour barrage on Lang Son. The 488th, 489th, and 491st Regiments will advance from the north and south to attack the area north of the Ky Cung River in Lang Son city!"

Li Yunlong had originally thought to let it go, but now that the Vietnamese army had said so, wouldn't not fighting mean admitting that the Chinese army was afraid of them?

Hundreds of cannons began to roar once again.

This time, it's no longer a wide-ranging attack, but a concentrated barrage targeting a single position.

Smoke billowed from the Vietnamese positions; no fortification could withstand such a fierce attack.

In just half an hour, 10,000 shells rained down on the Vietnamese army.

Inside the Vietnamese army headquarters in Lang Son, Huang Dan listened to reports from various units, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

"Huang Siling, the firepower of the Chinese army is too fierce. Our anti-aircraft artillery positions at the front have been destroyed, and our tank emplacements have been taken down one by one by the Chinese tanks."

In addition to deploying a row of anti-aircraft guns on the front line, the Vietnamese army also buried more than a dozen tanks in the ground, leaving only the turrets exposed to serve as fixed bunkers.

As a result, the Chinese tanks were equipped with laser rangefinders, making them almost infallible in combat, and the Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns and tanks were reduced to scrap metal.

In just three hours since the start of the battle, the Chinese army has advanced 5 kilometers.

“Tell everyone not to panic.” Huang Dan stood up, her face regaining its confidence.

"Judging from past reports, the Central Army only has strong firepower. Since we don't have the advantage in heavy firepower, let's fight them in urban warfare!"

"Once we enter urban warfare, their heavy firepower will be ineffective, while we can take advantage of our familiarity with the terrain to inflict heavy casualties on them."

"Urban warfare? Who's going to fight him in urban warfare?"

"Pass on my order: have the artillery positions fire another 10,000 rounds based on the reports from each unit."

Li Yunlong was well aware of the brutality of street fighting, and he would never engage in street fighting when he had an absolute advantage.

Another 10,000 shells landed on the Vietnamese army's positions.
"The resistance is still fierce? The infantry can't get through? Fire another 10,000 rounds!"

"If there is still resistance, then fire another 10,000 shots."

Li Yunlong slammed his hand on the table.

"I have only one request: use artillery shells to level Lang Son!"

"I don't want to see any buildings still standing in Lang Son!"

Urban warfare would indeed close the gap in firepower between the two sides, but the Chinese army did not want to occupy Lang Son and did not need to consider the issue of post-war maintenance.

At this point, complete destruction is the best option.

Of course, the ruins also hindered the entry of tanks and armored vehicles, and the Vietnamese army could also use the ruins to continue fighting.

However, as long as they cannot sneak into the ruins, their chances of launching a sneak attack are slim.

In a direct infantry confrontation, the central army easily overwhelmed the Vietnamese forces.

Under the relentless barrage of artillery fire, Lang Son was reduced to ruins.

The Vietnamese troops responsible for defending the city were almost entirely wiped out; more than 2400 were killed in just half a day.

The Vietnamese army originally planned to hold the line for 10 days, but they couldn't even hold out for half a day. At noon, the three regiments met at the Lang Son Bridge in the city center.

Subsequently, the various units shifted to mopping up the enemy, and the Vietnamese troops scattered in Lang Son and the surrounding mountains were continuously killed. Before the entire army withdrew on March 5, the 3-strong Vietnamese garrison in Lang Son was almost completely wiped out.

The capture of Lang Son meant that the Chinese army's tanks could advance directly to Hanoi along the highway.

Hanoi was plunged into panic once again, and this time the panic was even more severe than the previous airstrikes.

"President Le, Hanoi currently only has the First Army. With their strength, there is absolutely no way they can fight against the Chinese army. You must recall Cambodia's Second Army."

Obaturov said with a serious expression, "You must build a final line of defense around the capital."

Le Duan was now covered in a cold sweat; he hadn't expected Lang Son to fall so quickly.

“General Obaturov, I want to know where the Soviet support is.” Le Duan was trying to grasp at the last straw.

"The Central Army can clear the battlefield of Lang Son in just a few days after taking it, and then they will be at the gates of the city."

"Now is the time for Soviet Russia to fulfill the agreement!"

Obaturov pretended not to hear Le Duan's demand to fulfill the agreement.

"Chairman Le, I have coordinated the arrival of a large number of An-22 transport planes in Cambodia. You can have the 2nd Army return to Hanoi on these transport planes. That way, there will still be enough time."

Seeing that Obaturov never mentioned sending troops directly, Le Duan was furious.

However, he also knew very well that he had no bargaining chips at all, and all he could do was to bring back the 2nd Division.

Hanoi must not be lost under any circumstances.

“Jin Yong.” Li Sun called Wen Jin Yong.

"Immediately recall the 2nd Army to Hanoi to join the 1st Army (General Reserve) and the 431st Division of the 3rd Army in organizing defense!"

In contrast to Le Duan's grief, the central command headquarters was filled with laughter and joy.

Li Yunlong had the loudest voice among them.

"The Vietnamese army shouldn't be so stubborn anymore, right?"

"More than that," Ding Wei laughed. "They should be terrified by now. I estimate they're frantically mobilizing troops to build a defensive line to prevent us from launching a surprise attack on Hanoi."

"However, our strategic objectives have been achieved, and all that remains is the matter of withdrawal."

"Even if we withdraw, we can't let them have it easy." Li Yunlong's expression changed, and he picked up a document from the side.

"Back then, we sold everything we owned to help Vietnam drive out the invaders, but now we've been bitten by a dog."

"Using our weapons and infrastructure, they turn around and invade our territory."

"Does he think he can turn his back on us just because he's latched onto the Soviet Union?"

"We don't engage in aggression, but I want to take back everything that belongs to us!"

"Notify all departments that on the way back, if you see any supplies that can be transported, bring them all back to China. Destroy any supplies that cannot be transported."

From the advance to the capture of Lang Son, a total of about ten days passed, and Li Yunlong was quite angry.

He saw too many familiar things in the battle reports he signed.

The Vietnamese army's warehouses contained hundreds of Chinese-made products, such as Phoenix and Forever bicycles and Shanghai watches.

The granary was filled with white rice donated by China.

Even small shops in Vietnam can display luxury goods that are usually only found in the Wangfujing Department Store.

This made Li Yunlong grit his teeth in anger.

On March 5th, the various units of the Central Army began their retreat, and at the same time, they began systematic sabotage.

The transportation arteries in northern Vietnam were all blown up.

The railway tracks were all torn down and transported away by the railway soldiers. The tracks that couldn't be transported were cut into small sections and thrown everywhere.

The highway was riddled with potholes, and the bridge was completely destroyed.

The city's utility poles were blown up, with only one half remaining.

The building had some load-bearing walls blown off, turning it into a dangerous building.

Vietnam wants to rebuild, but it has to demolish first before it can build.

By the time the Chinese army had fully withdrawn to China, four major cities and 320 communes in northern Vietnam had been razed to the ground.

除此之外，被摧毁的还有904所学校、430所医院、42个林场、81个厂矿、8万公顷农田、40万头牲畜。

During the retreat, in addition to blasting, the engineers also laid a large number of mines along the way.

None of the landmines brought to Vietnam were taken back by the Chinese army; they were all left on Vietnamese soil.

On the evening of March 5, Le Duan sat in the Ministry of National Defense, looking at the densely packed military deployments on the map, without saying a word.

At this time, the main force of the 2nd Army, which had been urgently recalled from Cambodia, had completed its strategic assembly.

Le Duan did not intend to let the central army sweep through the Lang Son area and then march on Hanoi; he wanted to take the initiative.

Hanoi is, after all, the capital of Vietnam and its economic and political center. Fighting here would result in huge losses for Vietnam, regardless of the outcome.

Just then, Wen Jin bravely rushed over: "The central army has retreated!"

"What did you say?" Li Xun turned around instantly, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"According to Xinhua News Agency's statement, the Chinese military began a full-scale withdrawal of troops today," Wen Jinyong repeated.

"I suspect something has happened in the north. Should we immediately order the 2nd Army to pursue them?"

Le Duan opened his mouth, but never gave the order to pursue.

This battle has served as a wake-up call for Le Duan.

In just over ten days, the total number of Vietnamese army casualties has reached 12. Despite the previous claims of a million-strong army, if the militia is not counted, the total number of Vietnamese army soldiers is only 60.

In other words, in less than half a month, Vietnam lost one-fifth of its troops.

Such battle losses are truly terrifying.

While the Vietnamese army showed some resilience in local battles, it was utterly crushed in large-scale conventional warfare.

Once a full-scale counterattack is launched, infantry, lacking effective artillery cover, will absolutely be unable to coordinate with the central army's infantry and tank forces to fight back.

After a moment of silence, Le Duan finally spoke: "Since the central army has retreated, why should we sacrifice the lives of our soldiers?"

"We have a tradition of guerrilla warfare, but we are somewhat inadequate for modern large-scale military operations."

"Pass on my order: all counterattacks are suspended, and the main force is to remain in place."

The order was quickly relayed to the front lines.

At this time, the vanguard of the 325th Division of the 2nd Army of the Vietnamese Army had already caught up with the Lang Son line.

However, the dense minefield and the Red Arrow missiles deployed at the rear rendered the Vietnamese armored forces completely immobile, forcing them to watch helplessly as the Chinese army departed.

A few days later, looking at the damage statistics compiled by the Ministry of National Defense, Le Duan trembled with heartache.

This short war caused incalculable losses to Vietnam.

In addition to 120,000 casualties, the Vietnamese army also lost 320 aircraft and more than 2,000 tanks and armored vehicles, with direct economic losses amounting to as much as $65 billion.

Such a huge loss has left Vietnam struggling to breathe.

At this point, Le Duan thought of Soviet Russia again.

Vietnam's losses must be compensated.

(End of this chapter)