Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

At the main position of Fujinshan, the 36th Division suffered the fiercest attack since the start of the war. After the 16th Division took over the attack, it launched a general offensive.

The mountain artillery regiment bombarded the defending positions relentlessly. The devastation caused by the simultaneous firing of forty-eight mountain guns was enormous. Large sections of fortifications were destroyed, and a large number of soldiers perished in the artillery fire, resulting in severe losses of personnel and equipment.

Each regiment of the 36th Division had only six 20mm mortars, supplemented by a small number of 20mm rapid-fire guns, which were insignificant in the face of the Japanese division's firepower, and they could only silently endure it.

After more than a month of rest and replenishment, the 16th Division had restored its manpower, equipment, and supplies, and had ample ammunition. Shells rained down on the main position, plowing it back and forth several times.

As soon as the artillery fire spread, infantry surged toward the main position in droves. Two full regiments, divided into several waves, filled the entire hillside, a sight that made one's scalp tingle.

Meanwhile, the right flank was also attacked by a regiment, preventing the 88th Division from reinforcing the main position.

Because the 323rd Division was also under heavy attack from the Japanese, the mountain artillery battalion was unable to provide fire support to the main position of Fujinshan. The 71st Army had to rely on itself to hold off the 16th Division, which was under great pressure.

Most of the four infantry regiments of the 36th Division were engaged in the battle. Division Commander Song Ruihe was left with only an infantry battalion in reserve, as well as a special operations battalion and an engineer battalion. These were technical branches that would not be easily deployed to the battlefield.

Chief of Staff Gong Mengtao rushed over to report:

"Commander, the 108th Brigade's right flank defenses have faltered. The Japanese have breached the front-line positions. Brigade Commander Yang requests reinforcements."

Song Ruihe coldly shouted:

"I have no reinforcements. Tell Yang Guangyu that he must hold the line. Fujinshan is the burial ground for my 36th Division."

"Either we drive back the Japanese invaders, or we die for our country!"

"Commander, the Japanese firepower is too intense. Can we request a round of artillery support from the Tiger Legion?"

Chen Ruihe also wanted it, but fighting a war couldn't rely on others, so he immediately put on a stern face and said:

"You can't fight without artillery support? The 323rd Division is under full attack from the 13th Division, and one of their divisions can hold off an entire Japanese division. What makes my 36th Division so lacking?"

The 71st Army actually consisted of three divisions, with only one division on the left flank. Chen Ruihe was also concerned about his reputation, as they were one of the first three German-equipped divisions. The right flank was also comprised of another German-equipped division, the 88th Division.

Gong Mengtao blushed after hearing this and was too embarrassed to continue the conversation, so he had to go and relay the order; this was all he could do to help.

At the 108th Brigade headquarters on the right flank, Yang Guangyu, having received orders from the division headquarters, completely abandoned any illusions and said to the chief of staff:

"Tell the two regimental commanders that the division commander said that our 36th Division must not be outdone by our friendly forces."

Without reinforcements, everyone fight to the death! If they're all wiped out, I'll lead the brigade headquarters to fill the gap!

Not an inch of ground will be yielded! The territory lost during the day will be retaken tonight!

Yang Guangyu gave a strict order to the 215th and 216th Regiments: they only had five infantry battalions, and the 3rd Battalion of the 216th Regiment was kept as a reserve by Division Commander Chen.

On the 216th Regiment's defensive line, countless Japanese soldiers surged onto the position, and a brutal hand-to-hand battle ensued. The regimental commander and his staff also went up to reinforce the position, as they had no reserves left.

The defensive lines of the 215th, 212th, and 213th Regiments also began to falter. The Japanese launched wave after wave of attacks, and the 36th Division fought with all its might. The two sides were locked in fierce combat, leaving corpses strewn across the battlefield.

After the initial close combat, the situation actually stabilized. The 16th Division appeared aggressive, but its true strength was revealed when the fighting turned to bloodshed.

They had already been replenished several times, and there were very few veterans left. Even the quality of the reserves had declined significantly, with many being students with no combat experience.

The 36th Division is a battle-hardened elite force, having fought from Shanghai to Fujinshan, traversing thousands of miles, with over 80% of its members being veterans.

Bayonet fighting was originally the Japanese's forte, but they were repeatedly defeated by two battalions of the 216th Regiment, suffering far more casualties than the defending troops.

Seeing that the right flank had gained the upper hand in the melee, the 106th Brigade Commander decisively ordered a full-scale attack. The 212th and 213th Regiments took the initiative to rush out of the trenches and engage the Japanese in close combat, with bayonets flying.

Tens of thousands of soldiers from both sides clashed, fighting fiercely until the sky darkened. The Japanese were caught off guard by the 36th Division and showed signs of defeat in the melee.

Chen Ruihe keenly realized this was a rare opportunity and loudly gave the order:

"Chief of staff, assemble the Third Battalion, the Special Service Battalion, and the Engineer Battalion, and come with me to kill the Japanese devils!"

"Sound the charge! Everyone, fix bayonets! We're going to counterattack!"

Chief of Staff Gong Mengtao intervened, saying:

"Commander, let me lead the charge. You stay at headquarters—"

Chen Ruihe picked up a submachine gun, cocked it, and chambered a round, interrupting Gong Mengtao without a hint of doubt:

"Execute the order! Charge!"

"Kill them!"

Chen Ruihe charged out with his submachine gun, startling Chief of Staff Gong, who immediately ordered the special operations battalion to follow. He himself gathered his troops and fired his submachine gun.

The special operations battalion consisted of elite veterans, any one of whom could serve as a squad leader. They were equipped with a large number of submachine guns and Mauser pistols, making them extremely powerful.

They followed Commander Chen to reinforce first, followed by the 3rd Battalion of the 216th Regiment, and finally the engineer battalion and the division headquarters personnel. The 36th Division went all in!

The arrival of reinforcements greatly boosted the morale of the main force, broke down the Japanese soldiers' psychological defenses, and some began to flee.

The 16th Division, mainly composed of reinforcements, revealed its true colors in close combat and was routed by the German-trained 36th Division.

The shouts of reinforcements terrified the Japanese soldiers, and the rout began on the right flank, then spread to the left, and so on until the entire front collapsed.

Chen Ruihe personally killed several Japanese soldiers, and then the special agent battalion used their bodies to shield him while the others continued to chase and kill the Japanese.

Seeing that the overall situation was settled, Chen Ruihe stopped insisting on killing the enemy. After all, he was a division commander, and it was enough for him to lead by example; he couldn't cause any more trouble for the troops.

The Japanese troops suffered a complete rout, and the 36th Division followed up with a coordinated attack, recovering all their positions in one fell swoop.

In an attempt to stop the 36th Division from pursuing them, the Japanese launched a frenzied indiscriminate artillery barrage. Only then did officers at all levels order a halt to the pursuit and retreat back to their positions to avoid the shells.

After the Japanese troops on the main position were driven back, the Japanese troops on the 88th Division's side also voluntarily ended their attack. The 16th Division's all-out attack ended in a crushing defeat, leaving nearly two thousand corpses behind.

The 36th and 88th Divisions also suffered heavy casualties, but fortunately they gained control of the battlefield, and the wounded were able to receive medical treatment, with most surviving.

The Japanese were a different story. They suffered a complete rout, and no one had time to care for the wounded. Severe and minor wounded soldiers could be seen struggling in pain everywhere on the hillsides and fields.

The battlefield environment was harsh, and the wounded were constantly bleeding. When they had lost most of their blood, the Japanese soldiers were too weak to struggle and could only die in agony.

Half an hour later, the Japanese soldiers came to negotiate, waving a white flag and demanding that the bodies be collected and disposed of, but the 36th Division resolutely refused.

Unwilling to give up, the Japanese sent men to rescue the wounded, but they were met with light and heavy fire, losing dozens more men in the process, and had to give up.

At the 71st Army headquarters, as darkness approached, Chen Sunong excitedly came to report:

"Commander, good news! The 36th and 88th Divisions have routed the enemy in front of them, killing no less than two thousand Japanese soldiers, and all positions have been recovered."

Our side suffered over 1,800 casualties, including over 1,100 killed and 700 wounded, and captured a large amount of equipment and supplies.

The wounded here are all very seriously injured, and those still able to fight are not included. This is an inherent habit of the Eastern battlefield.

Killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of your own is a recipe for disaster. Song Yingguo was used to life and death; as long as he could hold the position, that was enough.

After listening, he simply nodded, and then asked:

"How's the situation with the 323rd Division on the left wing?"

At the 323rd Division headquarters, Chief of Staff Ma Weilan was also reporting on the battle situation:

"The Japanese troops from both directions have withdrawn from their positions. More than 500 Japanese soldiers were killed on the Yangjialing battlefield, and many others were wounded."

Judging from the appearance, there were no fewer than a thousand corpses on the main battlefield. My two regiments suffered over eight hundred casualties, and lost five artillery pieces and over three hundred rifles.

Since the battlefield has not yet been cleared, the quantity of spoils is uncertain, and even the number of enemy casualties has to be estimated. However, one thing is certain: the Tiger Army's casualties were far lower than those of the Japanese.

Although the 323rd Division suffered more than 800 casualties, less than 500 died in battle; the rest were seriously wounded and were able to return to the battlefield after treatment.

Zhao Yunwen was fairly satisfied with the exchange ratio and instructed Ma Weilan:

"We must take good care of the wounded, quickly restore our positions, and prepare to deal with a new offensive."

The 71st Army must have suffered considerable casualties as well; arrange for someone to send them a batch of medicine.