northernbook Chapter 125: Destroy the 21st Division and Recapture Andong Province
Chapter 125: Destroy the 21st Division and Recapture Andong Province
The 21th Division was annihilated before it even lasted a day, which was something that Lieutenant General Takeda Shun, commander of the st Division, had never expected.
You know, they still have more than 10,000 troops.
Even if there were ten thousand pigs lined up waiting to be slaughtered, it wouldn't be this fast.
If he had not received the farewell telegram from the 8th Division, he would never have believed it.
The destruction of the 8th Division was also quite dangerous for the 21st Division.
"Division Commander, ten kilometers ahead is Wulong Mountain in Andong County.
According to the reconnaissance team's report, the Renaissance Army has set up a defense line here."
Takeda Shun picked up the telescope and looked towards the highest hill in the distance.
Wulong Mountain is more than 600 meters high and is also one of the core heights guarding the railway and highway leading to Andong County.
The Fuxing Army built positions halfway up and on the top of Wulong Mountain.
It is not easy to capture this high ground.
"Order the artillery batteries to prepare for bombardment.
The 62nd Regiment launched the first exploratory attack after the bombardment ended.
Takeda Shun gave orders with a serious expression.
At the joint command center in Andong County, Wei Gang, commander of the 21st Airborne Division, and Lu Shan, commander of the th Mountain Infantry Division, also made combat deployments against the st Division.
"We now have the strength of two divisions.
Our First Airborne Division has more than 10,000 men, plus your 18th Mountain Division, for a total strength of 30,000.
Excluding the regiment stationed at the railway bridge, our total strength is no less than that of the 21st Division.
So there is no need for us to defend at all, my suggestion is to go on the attack directly."
Their mission was to defend the cross-river railway bridge and Andong County.
So when faced with the arrival of the 21st Division, they instinctively adopted a defensive strategy.
But Wei Gang, the division commander, changed his mind and realized that they had an advantage in both manpower and equipment, and reinforcements from the 1st Motorized Infantry Division would arrive within ten hours.
So why don't they just attack?
Attacking instead of defending was the suggestion put forward by Wei Gang.
Lu Shan was a little surprised when he heard this, and then his eyes showed an eager look.
"I agree with you. How do we divide the work?"
Hearing that Lu Shan agreed with his strategy, Wei Gang directly pulled Lu Shan to a military map of Andong County.
"Our 1st Airborne Division is equipped with tanks, so we will be responsible for the frontal attack and attract the attention of the Fuso people.
Doesn't your division have helicopters? Transport a regiment to Xinjiabao behind the 21st Division, assemble them, and then suddenly attack them, catching them off guard.
Cooperate with our tank assault to complete the cutting of the 21st Division.
Then the entire army will press forward and devour the 21st Division bite by bite."
Wei Gang's battle plan was very feasible. Lu Shan nodded and said, "Okay, let's do as you say."
Then the two divisions took quick action.
The 30st Airborne Division Tank Battalion was equipped with 22 M Cicada tanks.
Although it weighs only 7 and a half tons and its armor and firepower are not very good, it is still a tank after all.
It's not a big problem to use it for a quick assault.
The 21st Airborne Division will use this tank battalion as the vanguard, and send two airborne regiments to follow up in the rear to launch an active attack on the st Division.
At the same time, the airborne division artillery regiment plus the three artillery battalions of the mountain division totaled 6 75mm artillery battalions, with a total of 72 artillery pieces.
Although it is only 75mm in caliber and has a range of only 9 kilometers.
But the situation is much better than that of the 21st Division.
Although the 21st Division also had an artillery regiment, it was equipped with 36 Type 6.3 mountain cannons with a range of kilometers.
Therefore, they also have a great advantage in terms of artillery power.
Not to mention the Air Force.
There is a bottle brigade stationed at the Andong Military Airport.
Tanks, artillery and planes will definitely attract the attention of the 21st Division.
The 18th Mountain Infantry Division is equipped with a transport helicopter battalion.
The battalion is equipped with 36 Nighthawk transport helicopters and 12 Twin Blade light helicopters, a total of 48 helicopters.
The Twin Blade is just a two-seat light reconnaissance helicopter and does not have the ability to carry passengers.
Therefore, the task of transporting a regiment and an artillery battalion to Xinjiabao was given to these 36 Nighthawk transport helicopters.
The Nighthawk transport helicopter has a load capacity of 1.5 tons and a lifting capacity of 1.35 tons.
It can carry 11 fully armed soldiers at a time.
These 36 aircraft can carry nearly 400 soldiers at a time.
The mountain infantry regiment has a total strength of more than 3000 people.
Basically, 8 flights are needed. If artillery and ammunition are added, 12 flights are basically needed.
Although there are many flights, the good thing is that the distance is not far, only a little over 30 kilometers.
The Nighthawk transport helicopter has a cruising speed of 160 kilometers per hour and a range of 300 kilometers when fully loaded.
Including the time for loading and releasing people, it basically takes 30 minutes to go back and forth.
It takes about 4 flights to refuel.
Without stopping, a mountain infantry regiment and an artillery battalion can be transported within 8 hours.
The double-edged light reconnaissance aircraft also has a mission.
One is to assume the duties of a tactical reconnaissance helicopter, responsible for monitoring the entire battlefield.
The second is to provide accurate coordinates for artillery guidance.
For a moment, the helicopter base was filled with the sound of engines.
The first batch of 36 Nighthawk transport helicopters, escorted by 6 Double-Blade reconnaissance helicopters, headed towards Xinjiabao, more than 30 kilometers away.
At this time, the artillery regiment of the 21st Division also launched an artillery attack on the Wulongshan position.
One after another, 75mm mountain cannons roared, sending shells to the Wulongshan position.
"The 21st Division is preparing to attack us.
Find their artillery, and the Allied Air Force will destroy their artillery first."
In response to this situation, Wei Gang made a quick decision and issued an order.
At an altitude of more than 1000 meters, four double-blade light helicopters circled over the battlefield.
The Fuso army's mountain artillery had a short range, so it was deployed in a jungle about 4 kilometers away from Wulong Mountain.
They wanted to hide their tracks with the help of dense trees.
However, it was discovered by a helicopter.
Although the jungle obscured the smoke from the artillery fire, it could not conceal the trajectory of the artillery.
Now that the target has been found, the next thing will be easy.
The bottles are launched into the air and the artillery group is firing!
At the military airport, the wings and bellies of P-47D Thunderfighters were loaded with bombs and rockets.
Two squadrons of 24 P-47D Thunderbolt fighters quickly took off and flew towards the Fuso artillery positions more than ten kilometers away.
This distance was reached without even increasing the speed.
When the artillery group saw the group of thunder and lightning bombardments flying low overhead, they also began to fire.
"Boom...boom...boom..."
The artillery group consisting of 72 M1A1 75mm light howitzers let out a deafening roar.
Dozens of artillery shells whizzed towards the Fuso artillery position 7 kilometers away.
"Bombard! Move! Move the artillery!"
When I saw dense shells flying towards me.
The commander of the artillery regiment's voice trembled.
This also meant that their artillery positions were exposed.
The only option at this time is to run.
Artillery shells fell like a torrential downpour, and in an instant, earth-shaking explosions occurred on the positions of the Fuso Army's artillery regiment.
Many of the Fuso artillerymen who were preparing to move their artillery were blown away immediately.
When the shells hit the artillery, the Type 41 mountain cannon was immediately blown apart under the dazzling firelight, and the surrounding artillerymen were blown into pieces.
The shells fell continuously, causing explosions one after another in the artillery positions.
Lieutenant General Takeda Shun, commander of the 21st Division, was immediately shocked by this scene.
"Why does the Renaissance Army have so many artillery pieces?"
Takeda Shun's face was filled with astonishment.
Isn't this Fuxing Army composed of paratroopers? How did they manage to transport so many artillery pieces to Andong County?
Judging from this number, the number is definitely more than 50.
The power is similar to their Type 75 mountain cannon, which should also be mm.
"Transport planes, only large transport planes can do that."
Thinking of this, Takeda Shun felt bitter in his heart.
He understood that when the paratroopers of the Renaissance Army launched a large-scale artillery bombardment, their hope of breaking out was slim.
Their 21st Division is also likely to follow in the footsteps of the 8th Division.
A few minutes later, a series of P-47D Thunderbolt fighter planes swooped down like sharks smelling blood.
All the rockets and bombs they carried were thrown into the artillery positions.
Flames continued to rise from the huge artillery position, and one cannon after another was blown up during the transfer.
It was not until more than 20 minutes later that the shelling and bombing of the Fuso artillery positions stopped.
A total of 31 Fuso artillery pieces were destroyed, and only 5 were moved into the jungle and no trace could be found.
However, these five artillery pieces no longer affect the overall situation.
The 21st Division, having lost its artillery regiment, is like a toothless tiger.
After stopping the bombardment of the artillery positions, the artillery group shifted its target to the 62nd Regiment moving towards Wulong Mountain.
The 62nd Regiment was immediately blown to pieces, with blood and flesh flying everywhere and corpses scattered all over the ground.
The entire 62nd Regiment's marching troops were in great chaos.
"Attack!"
The 30st Airborne Division, with 22 M62 Cicada tanks as the vanguard, followed closely by the nd Airborne Regiment, launched a surprise attack on the nd Regiment of the Fuso Army.
When the artillery fire stopped, the tank was less than 100 meters away from the crowd.
At this time, the tank's machine guns and artillery took over the gap when the artillery group stopped firing and fired at the scattered crowd of the 62nd Regiment of the Fuso Army.
"Pass my order, all troops attack!
This is our last hope to return home!"
Takeda Shun gritted his teeth and gave the order.
It was just as he said, this was their last hope to return home.
If this wave cannot break through the 1st Airborne Division's defense line from the front, then they can only wait to die here.
So Takeda Shun chose to fight to the death.
A melee involving tens of thousands of people broke out between this road and the mountains, which was more than ten kilometers long.
The M22 Cicada tanks were destroyed one by one under the Fuso army's human bomb attack.
But they paid a greater price.
The Fuxing Army, with its absolute firepower advantage, simply pressed down on them.
After several hours of fierce fighting, the 62nd Regiment was almost wiped out.
The 82nd and 83rd Regiments of the Fuso Army and the nd and rd Airborne Regiments engaged in a melee.
At this time, the troops of the Mountain Infantry Division that had moved to the rear of Xinjiabao began to take action.
A surprise attack was launched on the rear of the 21st Division.
This also directly led to chaos in the 21st Division, and the soldiers fell into the lowest point.
The 21st Division itself is mostly composed of new recruits.
After all, it is just a packhorse division, the so-called Class B division, and its combat effectiveness is still somewhat inferior to that of the draft horse division.
The 18th Mountain Infantry Division also chose to advance with its entire division at this time.
Finally, with an absolute advantage in force, the 21st Division was destroyed in front of Wulong Mountain in the morning of the next day.
The 22st Airborne Division suffered heavy losses in this battle, with only 30 of its 7 M Cicada tanks remaining.
The Second and Third Regiments suffered more than 1700 casualties.
The Mountain Infantry Division suffered more than 800 casualties.
The casualty ratio between the two sides was 8:1.
The destruction of the 21st Division also meant that the Fuso Army in the entire Andong Province was wiped out.
The province of Andong was also incorporated into the federal government, adding another province.
After the war in Andong Province ended, the war inside the Great Wall also became intense, especially in the direction of Yuguan, which was also the focus of their attack.
However, when the Second Heavy Artillery Division arrived, the situation began to reverse.