Chapter 115: The Mountain Artillery Regiment Takes Action!

“General Akiyama, Colonel Ono Ichiro’s attack has been checked, and his troops have suffered heavy losses. To prevent the casualties from increasing further, he requests artillery support from the Empire!” An officer hurried before Akiyama Yoshimitsu and delivered his report.

“What use is Ono Ichiro? After all this time, he has made no progress whatsoever and is already asking for reinforcements. Is he still a warrior of the Empire or not?” Akiyama Yoshimitsu said with displeasure.

The officer replied, “General, according to Colonel Ono Ichiro, the Chinese forces also possess artillery, and its firepower is extremely fierce. During the first assault, an entire company was annihilated by the Chinese bombardment in less than twenty minutes!”

“Hmph!” Akiyama Yoshimitsu snorted disdainfully. “That is certainly just an excuse from Ono Ichiro! How could the Chinese forces possibly suppress the Imperial Army? He simply does not want his own troops to suffer excessive casualties, which is why he is asking for reinforcements!”

Having said this, he considered the fact that a great deal of time had already been wasted. He had boasted before the divisional commander that he would seize the Chinese position within two hours, and a quarter of that time had already passed. He could delay no longer.

“Very well! Since Ono Ichiro has requested artillery support, issue the order for the Ninth Mountain Artillery Regiment to open fire and assist his attack!”

“Yes, sir!” The officer bowed and was about to deliver the order when Akiyama Yoshimitsu called him back.

“Wait!” Akiyama Yoshimitsu said. “Tell Ono Ichiro that I have approved the artillery support, but he must capture the Chinese position within one hour. Otherwise, he is to disembowel himself!”

“Yes, sir!”

…

After anxiously waiting, the battalion commander finally received word from the brigade commander. When he heard that artillery support had been approved—and that an entire mountain artillery regiment would be sent—an excited look appeared on his face.

When he had requested artillery support earlier, he had merely hoped that the artillery attached to the brigade would assist him. He had never expected the brigade commander to send a mountain artillery regiment. It was an unexpected delight!

As for the brigade commander’s ultimatum, the battalion commander paid little attention to it.

In his view, although the Chinese forces were formidable, once they had the support of the mountain artillery regiment, the Chinese would have no chance whatsoever to counterattack.

That was the battalion commander’s confidence in the Imperial artillery.

“Everyone, prepare yourselves! The moment the Imperial artillery finishes its bombardment, launch an immediate assault on the Chinese position. Give the Chinese no time to catch their breath. We must seize the opportunity and capture Dingyuan in one sweeping attack!”

With the assistance of the mountain artillery regiment, the battalion commander’s ambition had grown considerably. He now wanted not only to seize the forward position, but also to capture Dingyuan in the same assault.

There was no denying that the mountain artillery regiment had filled him with extraordinary confidence.

While the battalion commander was brimming with confidence, several dozen cannons stood in position on a relatively level stretch of ground behind the Japanese lines.

This was the Japanese Ninth Mountain Artillery Regiment.

After receiving the Sixth Brigade commander Akiyama Yoshimitsu’s request for assistance, the regiment commander, Seriyama Hide, felt a hint of disdain.

Only moments earlier, Akiyama had sworn before the divisional commander that he would certainly capture the Chinese position within two hours. Yet after so much time had passed, he had made no progress at all and was now forced to request assistance from the mountain artillery regiment. It was almost laughable that he had managed to make such a request while wearing an expression of righteous resolve.

At the thought, a trace of contempt flashed across Seriyama Hide’s face.

Akiyama Yoshimitsu was usually extremely arrogant within the division. Aside from the officers under his own brigade, he routinely berated everyone else. Even Seriyama Hide himself had once been harshly reprimanded by Akiyama in public, losing a great deal of face.

Although Seriyama commanded the mountain artillery regiment and was not directly subordinate to Akiyama, Akiyama’s rank was nevertheless higher. Seriyama could do nothing to him and had been forced to swallow his anger, waiting for an opportunity to take revenge in the future.

Now Akiyama had first lost an entire regiment, and his attack had subsequently been halted. He had certainly made a poor impression on the divisional commander, and his future prospects for promotion would likely become much more difficult.

If his mountain artillery regiment could seize this opportunity, then this attack against the Chinese might prove to be his own chance.

Although he was unwilling to help Akiyama Yoshimitsu, if he could successfully destroy the Chinese position, then after the battle he might even be given command of an independent heavy artillery brigade.

If that happened, then even the commander of a Type A standing division would have to show him some respect. Who would dare reprimand him then?

And when the time came to take revenge on Akiyama Yoshimitsu and make him lose face, it would be as easy as uttering a single word.

With this thought in mind, Seriyama Hide immediately ordered his gunners to set the firing data and calibrate the range and bearing.

Before long, the artillery had completed its preparations. Not daring to delay, Seriyama Hide gave the order to begin the bombardment.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

As successive, muffled thunderclaps rang out, dozens of shells shot from the cannons. The tremendous recoil forced the guns backward, raising great clouds of smoke and dust.

Trailing long flames, the shells climbed into the sky like streaks of light before hurtling toward the Chinese position.

…

After the Japanese first assault ended, no further movement could be seen. This only strengthened Fang Xiaodong’s conviction.

The Japanese were certainly preparing their artillery. Otherwise, they would not have remained silent for so long.

Based on their past experience fighting the Japanese, whenever an assault failed, the Japanese would invariably use artillery to conduct a round of bombardment, striking at the defenders’ effective strength. Meanwhile, Japanese infantry would use the opportunity to creep toward the position.

Once the shelling ended, before the defenders had recovered, the Japanese would already have slipped into the position amid the confusion.

At that point, the defenders could not match the Japanese in close-quarters combat and would suffer a crushing defeat.

Fang Xiaodong had often encountered such situations during the Battle of Shanghai.

This time, when the Ninth Division first launched its attack, the Japanese had not begun with an artillery barrage because they had underestimated their opponents. Now that they had grown cautious, they would certainly bombard the position. It was inevitable.

For that reason, Fang Xiaodong had already issued his orders while the Japanese remained inactive, instructing all the soldiers to make preparations.

Sure enough, he did not have to wait long. A sudden whistling sound came from the distant sky. Fang Xiaodong looked up and saw dozens of shells streaking through the air like streams of light, hurtling toward them.

Without hesitation, Fang Xiaodong shouted, “The Japanese are shelling us! Quickly, take cover! Get into the bomb shelters!”

There was no need for Fang Xiaodong to say anything more. The soldiers had been prepared in advance, and the moment they heard the shells cutting through the air, they quickly dove into the shelters.

These so-called bomb shelters were large cavities dug at intervals along the passageways of the trenches as the defensive works were being constructed.

Logs or sandbags were placed overhead to support the earth, forming simple shelters against artillery fire.

Whenever the Japanese began shelling, the soldiers could take refuge in the nearest shelter, effectively protecting themselves from the bombardment.

Japanese shells rained down across the position, blanketing the entire forward line. Deafening explosions followed one after another, throwing great clouds of earth into the air. Numerous bunkers and firing positions were destroyed beneath the Japanese barrage.

Several shells struck the bomb shelters with deadly accuracy, collapsing them outright and burying all the soldiers hiding inside.

Nearby soldiers hurriedly clawed through the earth, digging out those who had been trapped beneath it.

Others, however, were killed instantly by direct hits. The entire position shook violently beneath the unceasing Japanese bombardment, as though the ground itself were being torn apart by an earthquake.