The Pingding East City Gate is made of iron-clad wood and is more than 20 centimeters thick. It cannot even prevent machine gun fire, let alone the explosion of explosives.

If the angle is limited, the 75mm caliber high-level artillery can immediately blow it into pieces with just one shot.

The first battalion of blasters placed several explosive packets under the city gate, lit the fuse, and immediately ran out.

Almost as soon as they hid in safe positions on both sides of the city gate cave, several huge explosions came from the city gate cave.

I saw that the city gate was directly blown into pieces, and the broken wood pieces were scattered everywhere with the impact of the explosion, and some even flew out of the city gate hole.

Immediately, about a row of soldiers immediately took cover with each other and rushed in through the city gate hole that was still filled with gunpowder smoke.

The first battalion occupies an absolute advantage in terms of troops, firepower, and even geographical location.

By occupying the city wall, doesn't it mean that we have a favorable position?

Although the Watanabe Squadron is a strengthened squadron with 5 squads, it only has less than 300 troops. Among them, there is a squad to guard the west city gate, excluding those who were killed by the first round of bombardment by the armored train.

Dozens of devils.

Today, there are only more than 150 Japanese infantrymen fighting stubbornly near the East City Gate, plus more than 200 Japanese soldiers from the gendarmerie.

The Japanese army had less than 400 troops at full strength.

As for the puppet troops in the security group, they can be completely ignored.

These guys may not be very good at fighting, but they are very good at analyzing situations.

They had long seen that the Watanabe Squadron was in trouble, and in order to prevent the Eighth Route Army from retaliating against them after they occupied Pingding County.

This bunch of puppet soldiers either didn't fire a single shot at all, or they pointed their guns at the sky or the ground, completely ineffective.

As more and more Eighth Route Army troops rushed up the city wall, they set up guns to suppress them.

Grenadiers also climbed up the city wall and launched targeted bombardments on the Japanese firepower points in the city.

The battle situation has been completely controlled by the new group.

Then, the first battalion used the east city gate as the attack position, marched step by step, and advanced into the city bit by bit.

As more and more soldiers from the first battalion rushed into the city, and more and more Japanese were killed, the battle finally became one-sided, and the new regiment moved forward faster and faster.

.

Soon they occupied the entire east of the city and continued to advance. As for the Japanese and puppet troops in the city, they continued to retreat backwards and relied on the barricades built in advance to block them layer by layer in an attempt to hold on until dawn.

Their air force arrived for reinforcements.

If they were replaced by ordinary Eighth Route Army troops, perhaps the Japanese plan could still succeed. Unfortunately, what they encountered was a new regiment, a new regiment with an artillery company.

Barricades built with sandbags were as fragile as rubbish in front of mortars.

"Boom!"

With one shot, several sandbags would be blown to pieces. As for the Japanese soldiers behind the sandbags, they would be blown away even with their weapons.

"Charge and kill!"

The loud shouts of killing resounded throughout the entire eastern part of Pingding City.

…

Outside the west gate of Pingding County, listening to the sound of various guns and cannons rang out in the city, Zhang Dabiao felt as happy as the second battalion commander Shen Quan felt unhappy.

A company commander next to him was also anxious and said: "Batalion Commander, why is it that their first battalion eats meat and takes the main attack, while our second battalion can only block the Japanese retreat outside the west city gate and just watch?"

Why don’t you know how to fight for it in front of the group leader?”

Shen Quan, who was already in an extremely unhappy mood, became even more unhappy when he heard the complaint from his company commander: "You are unhappy, I am even more unhappy than you! Do you think I didn't fight for it?

That's the commander's order, what can I do?"

After saying that, Shen Quan took a few more puffs of the cigarette, as if he wanted to vent all his suffocation on the cigarette in his hand.

Hearing this, the company commander could only helplessly shut his mouth.

The commander's order is an imperial edict in the new regiment.

If they dare to disobey the order of the political commissar, the worst they can do is get criticized.

But they never dared to disobey the order of regiment leader Li Yunlong.

Chen Quan added: "Order each company to hide in the dark and not be exposed!"

"I estimate that after the county town is lost, these Japs at the West City Gate will most likely abandon the city and flee. Maybe our Second Battalion can still get a sip of soup."

"Yes! Battalion Commander."

Several company commanders responded with a bang and then passed on the order.

…

The screen zooms into the city.

Watanabe Squadron Headquarters.

The headquarters of the Watanabe Squadron is located in the center of the city, which was also the original county government.

After the Japanese army occupied Pingding County, they occupied this place and used it as their highest headquarters.

At this time, a Japanese second lieutenant suddenly rushed in from outside. His face had completely lost the arrogance of being a 'Taijun' in the past, and was replaced by a look of panic.

"Squadron leader, something bad has happened! The east city gate has fallen, and Tubal Road has entered the city!"

"Although the imperial army is still trying its best to block it, there are too many troops on the Tubal Road. Among them, the 1st Squadron has been completely destroyed, and the 2nd Squadron and 3rd Squadron have suffered more than half of their casualties. In addition, the 4th Squadron has

The team, as well as the gendarmerie as a reserve team, suffered more than one-third casualties..."

After the previous shelling, Kogoro Watanabe knew that the Eighth Route Army would soon launch a siege.

Originally, he tried to concentrate his firepower to block the Eighth Route Army from the gap in the city wall.

But with the approaching gunfire, especially the report of the Japanese second lieutenant, the last trace of illusion in his heart was shattered.

Nojiri Shinpei asked: "Squadron leader, what should we do now?"

Watanabe Kogoro lowered his head and thought for a while, gritted his teeth and said: "Turn in, turn in through the west gate!"

"ah?"

Nojiri Shinpei was stunned. He obviously did not expect squadron leader Kogoro Watanabe to make such a decision.

Because they disobeyed their superiors' orders and deserted the defense, it was an extremely shameful thing for the Japanese soldiers who regarded honor as their life.

"But an order from the headquarters?"

Perhaps because he had made a decision and felt no burden in his heart, Watanabe Kogoro's expression softened a lot and he said: "Of course we cannot disobey the orders of the headquarters, and the glory of our Imperial Army of Japan must not be lost.

But now it is inevitable to pacify the county town. If we continue to resist, apart from the fact that all the jade is broken here, it will have no meaning for the entire war situation, and the commander has no idea what is happening here."

"But if we remain useful and break out, we can report what happened here to the Commander, and also give him a certain understanding of this Eighth Route Army."

After a pause, Watanabe Kogoro changed the topic and continued: "So, when we turn to break out, not only are we not deserters, but we are heroes of the empire, at least the heroes of our 1st Army!"
Chapter completed!