Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 181 Three Family Bases

On the battlefield of Sanjiaji, 2000 Imperial soldiers and more than 2000 Imperial collaborators led by Masatoshi Ikeda marched in a grand procession toward Sanjiaji.

Upon arriving at Sanjiaji, Masato Ikeda immediately launched an attack on the militia's defensive positions.

Two Japanese battalions, totaling five Type 92 infantry guns, were firing at the defensive positions of Sanjiaji, the sound of gunfire echoing continuously.

Knowing that the Japanese had launched a three-pronged attack, Tang Xiaohu had withdrawn most of his defensive troops to the rear of the position long ago, leaving only a small number of soldiers on the front line.

They were currently hiding in a bunker, avoiding the Japanese artillery bombardment.

"Ikeda-kun, it seems there's no need to call for air support. I think our current artillery fire is enough to destroy the enemy's morale!" Suzuki Ichiro said with a smile, looking at the artillery fire covering the mountain.

“Suzuki-kun, don’t underestimate this militia. Their fighting ability is no less than that of our Empire’s soldiers. This amount of shelling is nothing to them. Their fortifications are very strong,” Masato Ikeda explained to Suzuki.

"Oh, in that case, I'll have to meet them myself."

“Ikeda-kun, let my battalion handle the first round of attack,” Suzuki Ichiro said.

"Suzuki-kun, wait a moment. Let's have the puppet troops lead the charge and wear them down. Our empire's soldiers alone cannot conquer all of China. We can only use them to fight each other."

"Ikeda-kun, good plan. Now let's watch the puppet army's performance."

"Well, Suzuki-kun, please wait and see."

Twenty minutes later, the shelling ended, and Masatoshi Ikeda ordered two regiments of the puppet army to begin attacking the defensive positions of Sanjiaji.

After a long period of training by Japanese officers, the two regiments of puppet troops advanced in a well-organized manner, covering each other's advance.

"Order all units to return to their designated battle positions immediately," Tang Xiaohu ordered as soon as he saw the puppet army begin its attack.

"Yes."

Upon receiving the order, the soldiers behind the position quickly returned to their battle positions via the dug communication trenches.

"Notify all units to bring the puppet troops closer and engage them. Keep the heavy machine gun positions hidden and do not fire," Tang Xiaohu then issued the order.

"Yes."

The deputy battalion commander who was standing next to Tang Xiaohu immediately sent a messenger to notify all participating units.

"Hmph, the puppet troops aren't worthy of my heavy firepower." Tang Xiaohu sneered as he saw the densely packed puppet troops attacking.

As the puppet troops drew closer, a shout suddenly came from an unknown trench:

"Open fire! Kill these bastards!"

Immediately afterward, a gunshot rang out from the militia's position, and it exploded like water being poured into a pot of hot oil!

A dense hail of bullets flew toward the attacking puppet troops amidst the gunfire, interspersed with the continuous explosions of hand grenades.

Contrary to Tang Xiaohu's initial expectations, the attacking puppet troops did not retreat quickly under the intense firepower of the militia. Instead, they charged forward towards the militia's position, braving the militia's bullets.

"Battalion Commander, how come the puppet troops' combat effectiveness has become so high? And I see that their weapons are not bad either; they are basically all Type 38 rifles made in Shanxi." The deputy battalion commander said, looking at the fierce fighting on the front line.

"Where did these puppet troops get so many Shanxi-made Type 38 rifles?" the deputy battalion commander asked in bewilderment.

"What else could it be? It's all Yan Laoxi's fault. These must have been produced after the Japanese occupied the arsenal in Taiyuan."

"Damn it, it's one thing for Yan Xishan to lose Taiyuan, but he didn't even blow up the arsenal inside the city before retreating, just letting the Japanese get away with it." Tang Xiaohu spat angrily on the ground.

"Damn it, go to hell!" the deputy battalion commander cursed as well.

"Battalion Commander, why don't we let the heavy machine gun positions open fire? If this continues, the pressure on our frontline defensive forces will be immense," the deputy battalion commander suggested.

"No, exposing the heavy machine gun positions too early makes them vulnerable to being destroyed in the next Japanese artillery barrage. Besides, the more than 2000 Japanese soldiers behind the puppet troops haven't moved an inch. They are our main course, and the puppet troops in front of us are just appetizers." Tang Xiaohu directly rejected the deputy battalion commander's suggestion.

"Then, Battalion Commander, how should we respond?" the deputy battalion commander asked.

"Get the mortar company on board." Tang Xiaohu said, then walked to the phone and dialed.

"Hello, Second Artillery Company Commander, this is Tang Xiaohu."

"Hello, battalion commander!"

"I order your unit to open fire immediately, aim at the puppet troops and fire hard. Remember to move the artillery positions, don't let the Japanese artillery catch you by the tail."

"Yes, Battalion Commander, I'll make sure the Japanese don't catch me."

"Alright, let's get started."

"Yes."

"Second Artillery Company, fire immediately!" The commander of the Second Artillery Company, who had just hung up the phone, immediately ordered the soldiers of the artillery company to fire.

The artillery positions had been marked long ago; all they needed to do now was fire the shells.

"Fire!" With a shout from the second company commander, all ten mortars opened fire at once.

"Boom, boom, boom."

The mortar shells exploded directly in the attacking ranks of the puppet troops, killing one after another.

"Good, the militia's artillery has finally come out. Pass the word down and order the artillery to track the militia's mortar positions and destroy their artillery positions." Upon seeing the changes on the battlefield, Masatoshi Ikeda immediately gave the order to Staff Officer Ozawa.

"Hay."

"Ikeda-kun, this puppet army is quite formidable. You'd only see something like this in Manchukuo. It seems you've put in a lot of effort, Ikeda-kun," Suzuki Ichiro praised.

"Suzuki-kun is too kind. It's all thanks to the Taiyuan Command that they sent several puppet army training instructors. I dare not take credit for it."

“Ikeda-kun, to use a Chinese phrase, you’re just being modest,” Suzuki Ichiro said with a smile.

"Commander Ikeda has located the enemy's artillery positions," Staff Officer Ozawa reported as he ran over.

"fire!"

"Yes."

Just as the Japanese were preparing to shell, the commander of the 2nd Artillery Company also gave the order.

"It's almost time. We need to move to a different position immediately," the second company commander said, glancing at his watch.

"Yes, move quickly, move quickly!" The squad leaders hurriedly directed their soldiers to retreat from the artillery positions.

"Boom, boom, boom."

As soon as they withdrew from their positions, Japanese artillery shells rained down upon them.

"Damn it, are those Japanese devils dogs? Their noses are so sharp!" The second company commander cursed, looking at the most destroyed artillery position behind him.

"Let's go to the new position. Let the Japanese bomb this one." The second company commander waved his hand and led the artillery company toward the next artillery position.

"Deputy Battalion Commander, is there anything wrong with the Second Artillery Company?" Tang Xiaohu asked upon hearing the sound of artillery fire.

"No, the 2nd Artillery Company has safely moved to a new location and is currently preparing for the next round of shelling."

"Okay, tell them to be careful."

"Yes."

On the battlefield, the puppet army, which had been bombarded by the militia's artillery, began to show signs of retreating and stopped attacking as it had at the beginning.

As the militia launched a second round of artillery fire, the attacking puppet troops could no longer hold out and began to retreat.

"Notify all units to be on alert for a new round of shelling by the Japanese."

Seeing this, Tang Xiaohu reminded the defending units to be wary of the Japanese artillery fire.

Just as Tang Xiaohu had expected, the Japanese artillery fire arrived as soon as the puppet troops withdrew, as if it had been planned in advance.