dognovel Chapter 325: The Counterattack Begins (2 Chapters in 1)
Chapter 325: The Counterattack Begins (2 Chapters in 1)
325 Counterattack Begins
Buzz!
Twelve Hawk III fighters, in groups of two, have now arrived at the battlefield.
However, the speed of a biplane like the Hawk III is much slower than Johnson and his team's Hurricane fighter.
So it’s normal to be late.
At this time, looking at the twenty Hurricane fighters driven by Johnson and others in front, they were facing siege by twice as many Japanese fighter planes.
These national army fighter pilots were also eager to fight.
Following in the front, the navigator captain Zhang Yinghao made a gesture.
Their twelve Hawk III fighters immediately dispersed.
Before these Kuomintang pilots took off, they had already met and discussed tactics.
These Kuomintang pilots were well aware that they were definitely inferior to British and American pilots in terms of technology.
And the pilots of the Japanese on the opposite side.
Therefore, in this air battle, the twenty Hurricane fighters were their main force.
What they have to do is to assist these British and American pilots and act as their wingmen.
As a result, the twelve Kuomintang pilots who joined the air battle quickly found a Hurricane fighter each.
They fired wildly at the Japanese fighter planes.
Attract the attention of the Japanese pilots of the Hurricane fighter planes who are besieging.
Fortunately, the Japanese have huge bombers, and fighter planes only account for one third.
At the beginning, several planes were shot down by Johnson and his Hurricane fighters.
The pilots on both sides have very good skills.
It is really difficult for the Japanese bombers to threaten the Hurricane fighters.
We can only cooperate with the Japanese fighter planes.
In this way, the aircraft groups of both sides formed a high-low matching combat mode.
On the Kuomintang side, the Hurricane fighter is the main force, with the Hawk III fighter serving as the wingman.
The Japanese, on the other hand, used their Type 97 fighter planes as their main force, with bombers as their auxiliary.
Seventy or eighty fighter planes engaged in a fierce air battle over Nanjing that lasted for several hours.
From time to time, fighter planes from both sides would be shot down and crash into the city of Jinling.
As the pilot parachuted, more intense fighting broke out between the Kuomintang ground forces and the Japanese in the city.
They all want to rescue their own pilots and kill the other side's pilots.
The air battle continued until the evening, when the aircraft groups of both sides ceased fighting and retreated.
In the air battle that lasted for an afternoon, the National Army lost seven Hurricane fighters and five Hawk III fighters.
Fortunately, ten of the twelve fighter pilots that crashed managed to parachute successfully.
Eight people were rescued, four were killed.
Among them were two Japanese pilots and two Kuomintang pilots.
And their achievement was shooting down 21 Japanese fighter planes.
Among them, there were ten fighters and eleven bombers.
Seven Japanese pilots were killed.
Ye Qingshan could fully accept such a result.
Originally, Ye Qingshan hired foreign pilots this time with the purpose of fighting against the new Japanese air force.
Don’t let the Japanese in Nanjing gain air superiority.
Otherwise, Ye Qingshan’s counterattack would not have been necessary.
If the Japanese had air superiority, Ye Qingshan would have no chance of encircling the Japanese 13th Division.
People were dropping bombs from the sky continuously, and on the ground, the Japanese 13th Division was making a crazy breakout.
How much casualties would the national army have to pay to stop it?
Ye Qingshan no longer has that many troops.
Now, after today's air battle, the two sides did not decide the winner in the end.
But at least, Ye Qingshan knew that the new Japanese air force no longer posed a threat to their counterattack.
Don't forget, there are thirty more Hurricane fighters coming up, which will arrive tomorrow.
By that time, the Japanese air force wanted to gain an advantage in the air battle.
That's even more impossible.
"Before our counterattack, we eliminated the Japanese air force, a major hidden danger.
Our chances of a successful counterattack have increased by at least 30%. "
Ye Qingshan walked back to the command center with a smile and said to Ning Yongchen behind him.
"Yes.
Chief of Staff, you should pay more attention.
I never thought that these foreign pilots would actually be willing to join the war."
Ning Yongchen smiled bitterly.
He remembered that Ye Qingshan’s idea of hiring British and American pilots was a bit naive.
Now it seems that Ye Qingshan is the one who understands these foreigners.
“It just costs too much.”
Ning Yongchen added another sentence.
Now, he remembered that Ye Qingshan had formed this international flying team in order to recruit these British and American pilots to participate in the war.
Ning Yongchen was shocked when he thought it would cost four or five million US dollars.
Ye Qingshan just smiled and said nothing. What does this mean?
Since the battle of Nanjing began, Ye Qingshan has been purchasing weapons and ammunition from abroad, as well as raw materials for manufacturing rockets.
The cost has already exceeded tens of millions of US dollars.
The sound of a cannon is worth a fortune. This is not just a casual saying.
This is only part of the cost of this war.
Having spent so much money, Ye Qingshan doesn't care about adding another four or five million US dollars.
Just like that, Ye Qingshan only spent one tenth of the profit he earned from selling the distributors.
In Jinling City, at the broadcast center,
Wu Zhaoxia and others have also been broadcasting the live broadcast of the air battle over Jinling City.
At this time, Wu Zhaoxia said excitedly: "Our brave pilots, with the help of the international support flight team.
They repelled the Japanese's huge air force and shot down more than 20 Japanese fighter planes.
From today on, our soldiers in Jinling will no longer have to worry about being bombed by the devils."
At this time, in the shelter inside Jinling City, countless people were celebrating.
Celebrate the victory of this air battle.
This air battle, even if it ended in a draw, was a victory for the national army.
Now, although the aircraft groups of both sides have retreated, the Japanese have suffered greater casualties.
That would be a great victory for the National Army, which was already at a disadvantage.
It's worth celebrating.
Not only the people in Jinling City, but also in major cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Shancheng, Wuhan, etc.
Countless people were listening to Wu Zhaoxia's Jinling Radio broadcast.
Over the past month, I have listened to Wu Zhaoxia's radio broadcasts to learn about the battle situation on the Nanjing front.
It has become a daily compulsory course for countless people and students.
"The Nationalist Air Force won!"
The good news spread quickly and people were excited.
One family is happy and the other is sad.
On the national army side, the morale of the soldiers was boosted and the people were celebrating.
At the Japanese headquarters, the Japanese commander Tsukada Osamu received the results of this air battle.
It was totally unacceptable to him.
"Nani?
Where did the Chinese get so many fighter planes?
Hadn't we destroyed most of their air force's fighter jets long ago?
How come there are so many fighter planes on the front line?
Moreover, why do they have fewer fighter planes than we do in this battle?
Instead, our air force suffered heavy losses?
Could it be that the skills of the Chinese pilots are better than those of our Imperial pilots?
This is impossible! "
"Baga, what the hell is going on!"
The Japanese commander Tsukada Kou angrily slammed the table and shouted loudly.
If the ground attack is not going well.
The old devil Tsukada Gong felt that there was still some possibility.
After all, the National Army's ground forces are large in number and are on the defending side.
Still able to fight.
However, they can still lose in terms of navy and air force.
This is something that old devil Tsukada Kou can't understand or accept.
Because this doesn't make sense.
Unlike the army, the navy and air force are the most challenging forces for a country.
Whether it is the navy or the air force, you can't form an army by just recruiting some people and giving them guns.
To be honest, before the war.
Based on the Japanese intelligence departments' understanding of the situation of the Kuomintang's navy and air force over the years.
Anyone can see from the data on paper that the Kuomintang’s navy and air force have no chance of winning at all.
If their navy and air force appear, they should be able to crush the enemy.
It's impossible to lose.
And now, first three of their warships were destroyed on the Yangtze River.
Now, their new air force was again defeated head-on by the National Army.
For a moment, the old devil Tsukada couldn't figure out where the problem lay.
Fortunately, a moment later, the Japanese Special High Section sent a telegram to answer the old Japanese's doubts.
"Damn you, Americans and Englishmen.
How dare they do this.
The Empire will not let them go."
The old devil Tsukada Kou found out that Johnson's international flying team had joined the war.
I finally understood why their air force was defeated today.
Otherwise, with the few remaining fighter planes of the National Army and the new pilots, how would they dare to take off and engage in air combat with the Japanese pilots?
"Commander, what should we do now?
The Chinese received air support.
Our air force could no longer continue bombing the Chinese ground forces.
As a result, it is still difficult for our ground forces to make a breakthrough.
Should we ask the headquarters to allow us to withdraw our troops?"
A Japanese colonel next to him made this suggestion.
To be honest, by now many high-level Japanese officers have been killed in this battle.
I feel that this war can no longer be fought.
As a result, as soon as the Japanese colonel finished his suggestion, he was glared at by the old Japanese soldier Tsukada Ko.
"Baka, Hatsuyama Yuta, you're a coward."
"Hi!"
After being scolded by Tsukada, the Japanese colonel could only bow obediently.
“It is impossible for the Empire to fail.
It is even more impossible to lose to inferior Chinese pigs.
If anyone dares to mention withdrawing troops again, I will send him to the front line."
After the old Japanese soldier Tsukada Ko said this, the other Japanese generals were even more afraid to speak up to persuade them.
"Wait, wait three days, and our shells will be delivered."
Tsukada Gong can now only hope that the artillery shells behind them will be delivered.
Otherwise, the Japanese divisions on the front line would really be unable to fight.
The Japanese divisions were just holding on at this time.
From the Japanese commander Tsukada Issuke to the officers and ordinary soldiers of the Japanese divisions.
In fact, none of them could accept this battle and fled in disgrace.
So, they are all holding on.
They all hoped to outlast the Nationalist troops in the city and cause them to collapse first.
Unfortunately, the Japanese commander Tsukada Isao didn't know that he might not get his artillery shells delivered.
The counterattack timetable set by Ye Qingshan is tonight in the early morning.
After nightfall, teams of laborers came carrying boxes of ammunition.
They were transported through the ruins of the city and delivered to the hands of the Kuomintang army divisions on the front line.
"Good boy, why is Commander Ye suddenly so generous?
So much ammunition?"
Wang Yaowu, commander of the 50th Division, looked at the boxes of artillery shells delivered by the civilians.
A large number of American bullets, rockets, and mortar shells were piled up like mountains directly at the division headquarters.
It was the first time that Wang Yaowu saw so much ammunition replenishment.
Also shocked.
This was not only true for the 50th Division, but also for all other National Army units.
Then, the commanders of each division received a new order from Ye Qingshan: starting from early morning tonight, launch a larger-scale counterattack against the Japanese.
This was achieved after these national army divisions received such a huge supply of ammunition tonight.
They guessed it.
But up to now, except for the headquarters, the 88th Division and Zhou Pingkou's 208th Division, other National Army units still don't know about the counterattack.
They also thought that tonight's counterattack would be similar to previous night counterattacks.
It's just on a larger scale.
"Ye Qingshan is really amazing.
How much money did he have to buy so much ammunition from the Americans?
"Yeah, I can't figure that out either."
"Why do you care how much money he spent? It has nothing to do with us.
Naturally, the more ammunition the better.
Next, we finally don't have to save ammunition anymore.
Tell the soldiers to strike back tonight and give me a good beating."
The generals of each division were still discussing it privately.
Little did they know that it was Ye Qingshan who was replenishing ammunition to the divisions on the front line.
At night, Zhou Pingkou led two regiments of the 208th Division, left their original defense zone, and rushed to the training ground in the city.
At the same time, Sun Yuanliang of the 88th Division also arrived at the training ground with their division.
“Division Commander, Commander Ye has given you 3,000 additional soldiers.
There are also weapons and ammunition, all here.
Please accept it.”
When Sun Yuanliang arrived at the training ground, a former veteran of the 88th Division met Sun Yuanliang.
Said to it.
It turned out that Ye Qingshan had already made arrangements to replenish their troops and ammunition.
"Where's Ye Qingshan?
Why didn’t he come?”
When Sun Yuanliang saw that Ye Qingshan was not there, he asked the old soldier.
"Master, I don't know about that."
The old soldier smiled bitterly.
Sun Yuanliang didn't say anything and didn't make things difficult for the old soldier.
"Humph, 3,000 men is fine, I accept the number of soldiers.
We must provide more weapons and ammunition.
If you give me too little, I will go meet Ye Qingshan in person tonight."
Sun Yuanliang said this and followed the old soldier to a training ground.
"Division Commander, these are the weapons and ammunition that Commander Ye has replenished for you."
As a result, when Sun Yuanliang saw it, there were rows of machine guns and mortars placed on the ground in a corner of the training ground.
And boxes and piles of bullets, shells after shells.
Sun Yuanliang was completely stunned.
“Are you sure these are all supplements for us?
Ye Qingshan must be correct."
Sun Yuanliang looked at the veteran next to him and confirmed again.
"Report to the commander, I must not make a mistake.
These are indeed the weapons and ammunition that Commander Ye has replenished for our division."
The veteran nodded and said affirmatively.
At this moment, Sun Yuanliang's originally stern face suddenly smiled.
"Damn it, Qingshan finally didn't forget his roots."
Chief of Staff Chen Sunong, who was standing next to him, smiled bitterly and shook his head when he saw Sun Yuanliang's expression change so quickly.
But for Ye Qingshan, he was indeed very satisfied with the large amount of weapons and ammunition they were supplied with this time.