Chapter 52: Charge, Charge, Charge (Seeking Follow-up Reads and Votes)

...As a frontline commander, would he not know that certain orders he issued would lead to the deaths of many of his brothers?

Of course he knew; it was just that on many occasions, there was simply no other choice.

On the fierce battlefield, I encountered such helpless moments many times; the only thing I could do at the time was to lead the charge myself.

Not only for victory, but also to make my own conscience rest a little easier. Perhaps that is the biggest reason why, after all those years, I never managed to rise through the ranks—my heart was still not cold enough...

...Excerpt from Hu Biao's diary collection "Hu Biao"...

Visualizing the scene of the Third Company's brothers charging into the fierce fire of the Japanese devils, suffering heavy casualties before even getting close to the enemy positions, Hu Biao felt a wave of oppressive gloom and could not help but curse aloud:

"Those artillery bastards! A mere five minutes of artillery preparation is nowhere near enough. Would it kill them to fire for a few more minutes, to drop a few more shells?"

Cursing aside, Hu Biao actually understood one thing: if the artillery preparation lasted any longer, the National Revolutionary Army's artillery troops really might suffer heavy casualties.

Because artillery was a technical branch, requiring higher education and more regular training from its personnel.

Comparing these factors, the Japanese artillerymen, hailing from a higher educational background and with easier access to ammunition, naturally held a considerable advantage.

Consequently, the Japanese artillery was also much more elite.

The specific difference between the two artilleries would manifest once the National Army's artillery opened fire.

It wouldn't take the Japanese artillery very long to roughly estimate the location of the National Army's artillery positions based on the trajectory, thereby launching a counter-bombardment.

Such estimates and counter-attacks might not be entirely accurate, but the threat remained very high.

Therefore, five minutes after opening fire, the National Army's artillery had to immediately relocate their positions; any slower, and the Japanese artillery's firepower saturation would already be raining down upon them.

This would cause massive losses in both personnel and equipment.

In the National Army of these years, even among the elite Central Army under the direct command of the Generalissimo, artillery and artillerymen were extraordinarily precious, treated like prized treasures in the eyes of the officers.

To have been granted five minutes of artillery preparation was likely the result of Chen Xiucheng paying unusual attention to the Dunwu Temple position.

Therefore, knowing the reality of the situation all too well, Hu Biao finished cursing his own artillery, turned his head to look at the six people prone beside him—Black Star, Uncle Bo, AT, and the others—and asked:

"Lads, let's all think of a way. What good method can we use later to successfully tear open the Japanese positions with the minimum casualties?"

Faced with Hu Biao's question, the six newcomers all looked at one another in dismay.

Chaozi couldn't help complaining: "Brother, this is a utterly straightforward, brutal fight. We can't outflank or infiltrate, and we don't have smoke grenades or anything of the sort. This belongs to the category of hard battles where we must charge directly into the Japanese firepower. So tell me, what other methods could possibly exist?"

Uncle Bo, a fellow whose origins were somewhat mysterious, also chimed in with a shout:

"It's going to be tough! The artillery technology of the National Army in this era is limited; they probably can't pull off a 'creeping barrage tactic.' Otherwise, coordinating with our advance, it could drastically reduce casualties."

Hearing these remarks, especially Uncle Bo's, Hu Biao experienced a flash of insight, though a trace of hesitation crept into his heart.

The so-called 'creeping barrage tactic' was actually an infantry-artillery coordination tactic.

Its core concept was for the dense barrage of artillery fire to advance progressively into the enemy's defensive depths along with the assaulting infantry units.

Forming wave after wave of fire curtains to protect the infantry as they pushed toward the enemy positions.

This trick required extreme precision from the artillery, because if the timing of the barrage's extension wasn't mastered properly and failed to suppress the enemy, it would end up blowing up one's own men instead.

Hu Biao's hesitation, of course, was not because he wanted to forcefully execute a 'creeping barrage tactic.'

His hesitation lay elsewhere: rather than waiting until the artillery preparation ended before launching the assault on the Dunwu Temple position, what if they started charging two minutes before the bombardment ceased, taking advantage of the moment the Japanese took cover from the shells?

Such a move would undoubtedly result in some members of the Third Company being hit by friendly fire.

Moreover, this process would exert immense psychological pressure on everyone.

However, compared to a desperate, head-on charge against the full might of the Japanese firepower, the casualties and difficulty should be somewhat lower, and it might even catch the Japanese completely off guard, allowing them to breach the position.

Provided that the Third Company's luck wasn't too terrible, and they weren't wiped out in droves by their own artillery's firepower on the way up...

******

When the time reached 7:56 AM, with four minutes remaining before the artillery preparation was set to begin.

Hu Biao finally made up his mind: Damn it! Let's do it this way. When personnel, equipment, firepower, and individual soldier quality are all vastly inferior to the Japanese, yet you still want to defeat these madmen.

You have to be even more insane in your tactics than the Japanese, treating your own life as expendable.

Without hesitation, he spoke up, sharing his thoughts with Black Star and the others.

Upon hearing Hu Biao's idea of charging directly under the cover of their own artillery fire, the group was momentarily dumbfounded, completely at a loss for words for a good long while.

Mainly because this tactic, at first glance, sounded insanely reckless, entirely a gamble with fate, and sheer mockery of one's own life.

Even among them, veteran PLA soldier Black Star had never truly set foot on a real battlefield.

Therefore, one and all, they were still green novices to warfare, yet they were expected to play such a high-stakes game right on their very first battle?

Yet, upon giving it a serious thought, it seemed to be the only viable option currently available.

Aside from this, they truly couldn't figure out how this handful of men in the Third Company could possibly tear a gap through the enemy's defensive line.

In the end, Huang Ahdi, weighing around two hundred catties, timidly asked the most crucial question: "Old Hu, this kind of tactic demands extraordinarily high combat willpower. Are you sure that if we play it this way, the brothers of the Third Company will be willing to go crazy along with us? Let's hope they don't all run away halfway through."

Hearing this, Hu Biao smiled, the kind of smile that radiated pride.

Because he thought of his previous traversal, of those predecessors on Position No. 7 who had just picked up their guns, originally farmers and humble artisans by trade, or rather, his brothers.

Though they might have initially wanted to flee, they ultimately possessed the courage to fight until the very last moment of their lives.

Right at that moment, the howling sound of a series of artillery shells tearing through the air echoed overhead.

Shortly after, several shells, presumably of 75mm caliber, landed on and around the Dunwu Temple position. Unbeknownst to them, the time had quietly reached 8:00 PM.

The friendly artillery preparation had finally begun right on schedule.

Amidst the thunderous explosions, Hu Biao looked back at the faces of the Third Company's brothers prone behind him—faces filled with either tension or excitement.

His face flushed red as he strained his vocal cords and roared at the top of his lungs:

"Brothers of the Third Company! The enemy's tortoise shell is hard as nails. If we fight normally, we wouldn't be able to chew through it even if we lost every single tooth in our mouths!

I, Hu Biao, reckon the only way is to charge up there while the artillery is pounding away. In the process, some of us might get blown to pieces by our own guns, but this has got to be our only chance.

In one word, are you willing to follow me in a charge? I, Hu Biao, promise to lead right at the front—if anyone gets blown up first, let it be me!"

"The Pao Ge brotherhood never backs down! Since Officer Hu isn't afraid of death and leads the charge, I, Flat-Head, dare to follow!" A familiar voice rang out, filled with an indescribable chivalric spirit.

Immediately following that, more voices rang out in succession:

"That's right! Fighting the little Japanese devils—as long as the officers aren't cowards, a worthless life like mine is ready to be thrown away!"

"Screw those little Japanese bastards! Which brother doesn't know me, Shorty Liu..."

Among all these responses, grand notions of country and righteousness played a very limited role; the Sichuan Army brothers were mostly driven by a sense of martial brotherhood and loyalty, willing to go all-in on this madness with Hu Biao.

However, for Hu Biao, such answers were already more than enough.

He first turned to AT beside him and whispered instructions that made the young white-collar worker's heart palpitate with fear: "When the charge starts later, stay at the very back and act as the execution squad."

Then, Hu Biao took a deep breath, and barked: "Third Company, everyone prepare for combat!"

Following that, he glanced back to confirm that the main regimental force was also rapidly approaching and should be able to keep pace with their charge, then silently counted 150 numbers in his head.

When there should have been roughly two minutes remaining in the current artillery preparation.

He roared a mad command destined to send many brothers, and perhaps even himself, to their deaths under friendly fire: "Charge, charge, charge! Keep charging straight ahead! No matter who falls, do not stop!"

The moment he roared the command, he clutched a Hanyang rifle and was the first to leap out of the position.

Just as he had promised moments before, he, Hu Biao, would lead the charge all the way to the very front...