nucmednet Chapter 760 The plan went smoothly and the real purpose
Chapter 760 The plan went smoothly and the real purpose
In the last glimmer of dawn, two Gustav cannons and twelve Karl cannons stood at the frontline of the Northwest Army of China. They were like sleeping beasts, making final preparations before the battle. Around them, technicians and gunners were busy and orderly shuttling back and forth, and the air was filled with a tense and expectant atmosphere.
The cranes, these huge steel arms designed for heavy artillery, slowly rose under the precise command of the commander, hanging two armor-piercing shells weighing 7.1 tons. These behemoths glowed with a cold metallic luster in the sun, which made people shudder. With the precise operation of the crane operator, the two armor-piercing shells were steadily sent into the huge barrel of the Gustav cannon. During this process, the commander kept communicating with all parties using the walkie-talkie to confirm every detail: "Crane, fine-tune the angle by another 5 degrees to ensure that the armor-piercing shells enter the barrel smoothly. Gunner, check the cleanliness of the barrel and prepare to install the fuze." Every instruction was clear and powerful, revealing a high degree of professionalism and rigorous attitude.
When the two armor-piercing shells were finally in place, the entire position seemed to hold its breath. The commander stood on a high place, his eyes as sharp as torches, staring at the target in the distance - the solid concrete layer in front of the southern fortress in Kikuchi Prefecture in the Kumamoto region of Fuso. He took a deep breath and then issued the decisive order through the loudspeaker: "Everyone, pay attention, target locked, armor-piercing shells ready to fire! Three, two, one, fire!"
Following the commander's order, the two Gustav cannons instantly erupted with a deafening roar, blazing flames gushed out of the muzzles, and two 7.1-ton armor-piercing shells were like giant dragons, cutting through the sky and whizzing towards the front of the fortress at the target location with destructive force. The air was filled with a huge sonic boom, as if even time had frozen.
At the same time, the twelve Karl mortars were not to be outdone. They emitted a deafening roar almost at the same time, with flames splashing from the muzzles. Shells poured out like raindrops, accurately covering several important areas of the fortress.
As two armor-piercing shells weighing seven tons cut through the sky with the force of thunder, they were like messengers of death, accurately hitting the 3.5-meter-thick front concrete layer of the Kikuchi No. section of the Kumamoto Fortress. At this moment, time seemed to freeze, and a suffocating tension filled the air.
The impact of the armor-piercing bullet exploded instantly, and the concrete layer that was once thought to be indestructible seemed so fragile in the face of this destructive force. The huge shock wave generated by the explosion spread at an astonishing speed, and the concrete layer quickly disintegrated in the roar. The rubble and smoke raged like a violent storm, covering the sky and the sun.
The front of the fortress seemed to be torn open by the bombardment of artillery fire. The crack spread rapidly like a spider web, and the entire structure was shaky. Then, a series of chain reactions were triggered, and the supporting structure inside the fortress was severely damaged and began to groan in pain. With a loud "bang", the fortress in the second section of Kikuchi exploded violently amid the roar of artillery fire. Accompanied by a deafening collapse sound, a large piece of concrete wall collapsed, raising dust all over the sky.
Inside the fortress, the Fuso troops stationed here instantly fell into the abyss of despair. The shock waves and flying debris from the explosion were like the scythe of the god of death, ruthlessly harvesting lives. The soldiers fled in panic, but the narrow space and collapsed passages made their escape extremely difficult. The cries for help, screams and explosions intertwined to form a mournful song.
In this sudden disaster, the Fuso troops suffered heavy casualties. Many soldiers were buried under the rubble, their lives or deaths unknown; the survivors were covered in scars, their faces full of fear and helplessness. The fortress's defense system completely collapsed under the attack of these two armor-piercing shells, and the once solid defense line has now become a death trap that devours lives.
The Chinese army's artillery fire continued to roar, and every sound was like a ruthless mockery of the Fuso army. On this battlefield filled with smoke, the balance of victory had quietly tilted, and the collapse of the Kikuchi No. 2 section of the Kumamoto Fortress became an important symbol of the turning point of this war.
With the successful completion of the mission, the artillery troops did not stop. Like ghosts on the battlefield, they started their huge bodies again and began a new journey. The Gustav cannons, these steel behemoths, slowly moved eastward along the special rails. Every step seemed so steady and powerful, as if announcing their unstoppable offensive will to the enemy.
The main strategic intention of the Northwest Army was clear and definite: to use the amazing power of these huge cannons to blow up multiple gaps in the enemy's fortresses in different locations, creating favorable conditions for the subsequent ground force offensive. This was a carefully planned campaign, and every step required precise and accurate execution.
Over the next five days, the artillery troops seemed tireless. They continued to move slowly and steadily, and dealt devastating blows to multiple defense sections in the Kikuchi area of the Kumamoto Fortress. Each cannon shot was accompanied by a violent explosion, and each explosion meant a further weakening of the fortress's defenses. Those once extremely solid fortifications became riddled with holes and shattered under the bombardment of the artillery.
Fuso, facing the failure of the air strike and the rampage of the giant artillery, seemed helpless. Their air force had been severely damaged in the previous battle and could no longer effectively strike ground targets; while the ground forces fell into chaos due to the collapse of the fortress defense. The Fuso soldiers who were originally in the fortress, full of confidence, were now in a panic, and fear and anxiety enveloped the entire barracks. They didn't know when the next round of artillery fire would come, and perhaps in the next second, the fatal shell would fall on their heads.
This psychological pressure was undoubtedly a huge blow to the Fuso army. The defense system they once prided themselves on seemed so fragile in front of the cannon, and this huge contrast was hard for them to accept.
Inside the Northwest Army headquarters, a huge battle map was spread out on the table, with different colored markers marking the deployment of both sides. The head of the giant artillery unit, an officer in uniform with a resolute look, was standing in front of Commander Zheng Zeyu, holding a detailed battle report, reporting on the brilliant results they had just achieved.
"Report to the commander. According to the established plan, our troops have successfully carried out multiple rounds of precision strikes within a 50-kilometer range from east to west of the enemy's Kumamoto Fortress. After several days of unremitting efforts, we have blasted four obvious gaps in the concrete defense wall of the fortress. These gaps not only weakened the enemy's defense capabilities, but also created extremely favorable conditions for our army's subsequent offensive operations."
After hearing this, Commander Zheng Zeyu smiled with satisfaction. He nodded slightly, his eyes flashing with approval and expectation. "Very good, thank you for your hard work! Your heroic performance and outstanding achievements are the pride of all the soldiers of the Northwest Army. Next, we must strike while the iron is hot and pursue the victory."
Then, Zheng Zeyu turned to face all the officers present, and his voice was sonorous and powerful. "Everyone, after our hard work and unremitting efforts in the early stage, obvious cracks have appeared in the enemy's fortress defense line. This is our best chance to completely break through the enemy's fortress, and it is also a key step for us to move towards victory."