Devil's Army

Chapter 1960 Recapture of Xiling

After their surprise attack failed, the soldiers of the Second Regiment immediately launched a fierce attack on the Japanese troops at the core position of the Japanese army on Guabang Mountain at dawn.

The artillery of the 2nd Regiment provided strong support to the soldiers of the 2nd Regiment, launching repeated bombardments on the core positions of the Japanese army.

The fortifications of the core Japanese position on Guabang Mountain were basically destroyed.

Gunshots, explosions, and shouts from the Second Regiment echoed across Guabang Mountain.

After a fierce battle, the soldiers of the Second Regiment stormed into the core position of the Japanese army on Guabang Mountain at around 4 p.m. and engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand combat with the stubbornly resisting Japanese army.

After the battle, the second regimental commander left a squad of soldiers to clean up and defend the Guabangshan position, while the main force continued to advance towards Xianning.

While the First and Second Regiments broke through the Japanese positions at Tingsiqiao and Guabangshan, the Third Regiment had already broken through the Japanese defenses at Xiling and reached the east gate of Xianning.

Xiling in Xianning is located in Xian'an District of Xianning City and belongs to the Mufu Mountain Range.

Its terrain is high in the south and low in the north, with most of the elevation below 1500 meters.

The Xiling area is characterized by rolling hills and complex terrain. Moreover, the Mufu Mountains, where Xiling is located, have a high forest coverage and dense vegetation.

The Japanese commander arranged for a company of soldiers to hide in the dense forest.

When the vanguard of the Third Regiment broke through the outer defense line of Xiling and entered the mountains and forests, they were ambushed by the Japanese army.

The soldiers of the 3rd Regiment's vanguard found cover and calmly engaged in battle.

Upon hearing the gunfire from the woods, the main force of the Third Regiment quickly flanked the enemy from both sides.

The Japanese troops discovered the three regiments of soldiers flanking them from both sides and quickly retreated. But it was too late.

The main force of the Third Regiment tightened the encirclement while accelerating its pursuit of the retreating Japanese troops.

After a fierce battle, most of the Japanese troops hiding in the mountains were annihilated.

The Third Regiment had just emerged from the mountains and reached the front of the Qianshaping and Houshaping highlands when they were bombarded by Japanese artillery.

It turned out that the Japanese army had built artillery positions on Houshaping Heights. As soon as the soldiers of the Third Regiment appeared within their firing range, they were immediately bombarded by their artillery.

The soldiers of the Third Regiment quickly retreated into the mountains and forests and called for air support.

The air force of the First Army quickly arrived and launched a fierce bombardment on the coordinates provided by the artillery of the Third Regiment.

The Japanese artillery that could not be moved in time suffered heavy losses on Houshaping Heights.

After the air raid by the First Army Air Force, the Japanese troops in Qianshaping occupied the high ground and fired down on the soldiers of the Third Regiment.

At this moment, the artillery of the Third Regiment calmly launched a fierce bombardment of the Japanese fortifications in Qianshaping to cover the infantry's attack.

Under the cover of artillery, the machine gunners of the 3rd Regiment quickly occupied advantageous positions and fiercely swept the Japanese firing points in the fortifications to suppress the Japanese firepower.

Under the cover of artillery and machine guns, the soldiers of the Third Regiment launched an attack on the Qian Shaping and Hou Shaping positions without regard for anything else.

The Japanese army was outmatched and retreated step by step.

The Third Regiment recaptured Xiling in one fell swoop, controlling the main transportation route in the Xianning-Chongyang-Puqi area.

The third regimental commander left one battalion to garrison Xiling, while the main force advanced towards the east gate of Xianning.

The Japanese troops in Xianning lost the Xiling Fortress and retreated to Xianning.

The Third Regiment, having reached the city walls of Xianning's East Gate, immediately launched an attack on Xianning County.

The air force of the First Army also launched a fierce bombing campaign against the Japanese fortifications on the city wall of Xianning. However, after the bombing, the Japanese troops hid behind the collapsed fortifications and stubbornly resisted.

The Third Regiment launched two waves of attacks by evening, both of which were repelled by the Japanese army.