Devil's Army

Chapter 2030 Full-Scale Attack on Nanjing

Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, Independent Brigade discovered a unit retreating from Nanjing towards Haizhou. They immediately reported to the 2nd Battalion Commander and then encircled the unit.

The two sides encountered each other on a small road and fought fiercely for more than two hours.

The Independent Brigade annihilated most of the Japanese troops who had fled into Nanjing, and the remaining troops withdrew back into the city.

Meanwhile, the cunning Commander Hata Shunroku had already detoured from Nanjing from another direction and fled to Haizhou.

Upon hearing the soldiers' report, Brigade Commander Zhang, the commander-in-chief of the Second Army Group heading south, learned that the Japanese troops in Nanjing were desperate and decided to launch a full-scale attack on Nanjing at 8:00 a.m. the next day.

The First Army's Independent Brigade, a part of the 12th Brigade, a part of the 15th Brigade, and the New Fourth Army's 16th Brigade launched a full-scale attack on Nanjing from four directions at 8:00 a.m.

Within two days, all Japanese positions on the outskirts of Nanjing were captured. The Japanese then retreated into the city and stubbornly resisted.

The Jiangxi Air Force of the First Army, which had just been transferred to Zhejiang, intensified its bombing of Japanese positions and fortifications in Nanjing.

The Japanese army in Nanjing was in a very difficult situation, having to deal with both air raids by the First Army Air Force and fierce attacks by the First Army Infantry.

Amid a series of booming sounds, the battalion commander of the 11th Brigade personally led three soldiers to blow up the east gate of Nanjing.

The soldiers of the First Regiment charged into Nanjing with an unstoppable offensive, engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese troops inside the West Gate and on the city walls.

Soon after, soldiers from the 12th Brigade also rushed into the east gate of Nanjing through the collapsed city wall caused by air bombing.

The First Army began a battle with the Japanese army, fighting alley by alley, street by street, and house by house.

The situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable for the Japanese army. In an attempt to reverse the decline, Commander Shimomura organized two suicide squads, with menstrual pads wrapped around their heads, to launch a counterattack against the 11th and 12th Brigades, which were still consolidating their positions.

The soldiers of the First Army calmly fought back, using heavy bullets and rockets to resist the desperate counterattack of the Japanese army.

Most of the Japanese suicide squads were wiped out, and the 11th and 12th Brigades finally gained a foothold and advanced deep into Nanjing.

At this time, the Independent Brigade also broke through the Japanese army's defense line at the south gate and advanced deeper into Nanjing.

Not to be outdone, the 16th Brigade of the New Fourth Army, with strong support from the First Army Air Force, broke through the north gate of Nanjing.

At this time, Nanjing was already besieged on all sides.

The Japanese army attempted to break through the defense line of the 16th Brigade of the New Fourth Army, which had the weakest firepower, but was met with fierce resistance from the New Fourth Army soldiers.

After nearly half a month of fierce fighting, the Japanese army retreated to the area around Zijin Mountain, Mufu Mountain, Wulong Mountain, and the Gulou Command Post.

The Japanese army deployed artillery observation posts and artillery positions on these three mountains.

In the evening, after the First Army Air Force returned to base, they launched a fierce bombing raid on the 11th Brigade, 12th Brigade and Independent Brigade of the First Army, which were on the offensive.

Because the artillery of the First Army failed to follow up in time, it was subjected to a sudden and fierce bombardment by the Japanese artillery and had to stop its attack.

After nightfall, the Japanese army organized a surprise attack on the First Army's positions, and briefly occupied some of the territory that the First Army had recaptured. The 11th and 12th Brigades of the First Army quickly organized troops and firepower to forcibly retake the lost territory.

The two sides engaged in repeated battles outside the drum tower of the Japanese headquarters.

As dawn approached, the Japanese counterattack forces suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat to their original positions.

After daybreak, the First Air Force intensified its air raids on Japanese positions at Zijin Mountain, Mufu Mountain, and Wulong Mountain.

The Japanese army deployed artillery positions on these mountains, and in order to block the First Army's attack, they had to risk firing their cannons.