readytorunbook Chapter 245: The Final Battle of Mandalay (2): The Destruction of the Locust Army?
Chapter 245: The Final Battle of Mandalay (2): The Destruction of the Locust Army?
Because the John people refused to hand over the hydrological data of the lower reaches of the Irrawaddy River, the People's Army Navy was not clear about the situation of the Irrawaddy River passing through Mandalay.
But that's how war works. You can't wait until you are perfectly prepared before launching a battle.
So Zhang Chi still took the risk of sending three destroyers south.
After all, as the initial ship on the system technology tree, the "Clemmensen" class destroyer only costs 7000 Silver Lions. Even if it is really stranded, you can just buy a new one without any regrets.
On the contrary, this kind of actual combat experience and navigation experience is indispensable to the newly born People's Army Navy.
But this was a huge test for the leading DD-1 destroyer "Zhen Zhong".
Even though there were torpedo boats and anti-submarine boats leading the way ahead, You Hongxuan still stood in the bridge with a tense mind, constantly giving orders.
"Sonar room, real-time water depth monitoring." He turned to the communicator. "Report the riverbed depth every minute. Report any abnormalities immediately. Whether our ship will run aground depends on them."
"Yes! The sonar room has started monitoring." The communicator responded quickly, then lowered his head and repeated the order into the microphone.
"Add more personnel to the foredeck observation post." You Hongxuan glanced around at the personnel on the bridge. "Focus on observing the water surface, paying attention to floating objects and river markings."
"Five more people have been added to the observation post," the deck watch officer quickly replied, "but even with the searchlight, visibility is still limited. We may need to rely more on sonar and experience."
You Hongxuan nodded and said solemnly, "Tell them that eyes and ears are more important than any other equipment. Pay close attention and report any suspicious situation immediately, even if it's just the surging of the river."
The destroyer glided slowly, and the water hitting the hull made a slight sound.
You Hongxuan stood up straight, holding up a telescope and staring at the river ahead illuminated by searchlights.
He suddenly frowned, turned to the helmsman and said, "Deviate five degrees to the right to avoid the suspected sandbar ahead."
"Five degrees to the right, adjusting course." The helmsman quickly operated the steering wheel and the destroyer slightly changed direction.
"Engine room, be ready to adjust the power at any time." You Hongxuan picked up the microphone of the newly installed cabin radio and added, "Make sure the speed remains stable and there are no sudden changes."
"The engine room understands." A slightly hoarse response came from the intercom.
Led by the DD-1 destroyer "Zhen Zhong", three destroyers formed a single column, gradually bringing the city of Mandalay within the range of the naval guns.
"Fire control officer, prepare the main gun to shoot the designated target." You Hongxuan suddenly ordered to aim at the outer positions of Mandalay City.
Inside the bridge, the fire control officer immediately led the fire control team to confirm the target and calculate the shooting parameters.
Soon, the fire control officer gave the order: "Adjust the main gun to target number three, distance 15,000 yards, azimuth 45 degrees, high-explosive conventional shells loaded, ready to fire."
After receiving the order, the commanders of the main artillery batteries immediately directed their guns to aim, and then responded: "The main guns are ready and can fire at any time."
The fire control officer looked at Captain You Hongxuan, who waved his right hand and said, "Fire!"
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Countless fireballs bloomed on the surface of the river, and the DD-1 destroyer "Zhenzhong" began to bombard the enemy first.
Next came the DD-2 'Zhenbei' and the DD-3 'Zhennan', and the three destroyers entered the salvo phase together.
The naval gun with a semi-automatic loading mechanism and an extra-long caliber is not comparable to the army's short-barreled howitzer that is specially lightweight for ease of movement.
Its rate of fire, range and accuracy are all better than those of land artillery, which is in line with the saying "When a naval gun fires, all the efforts of parents to raise a ship are in vain."
In the dark night, countless fire meteors streaked across the pitch-black sky among the Japanese soldiers hiding in the positions outside Mandalay, and then fell on the positions.
"Bang!" With a loud bang, the first high-explosive bomb happened to hit a watchtower on the Japanese position, and the flying bricks and soil instantly filled the air.
Then, the second and third shells followed closely, and countless shells, like a storm, violently and ruthlessly tore through the Japanese defense line.
In the positions outside Mandalay, the hiding Japanese soldiers finally realized the coming disaster, but it was too late.
In the dark night, the flames of countless explosions illuminated the sky orange, and the explosions continued one after another, as if the end of the world was coming.
The Japanese position turned into a hell on earth in the flames. The ground shook, trenches collapsed, and the shockwaves caused by the explosions destroyed everything around it.
Some of the devils were torn into pieces, while others looked intact on the outside, with strange expressions on their mouths, but in fact their internal organs had been damaged by the shock wave, and they died mysteriously.
"The shelling is effective, repeat, the shelling is effective, please continue firing." In the distance, the soldiers of the 404th Independent Special Operations Battalion, who were lurking nearby, whispered the results of the shelling back on the radio.
On the other side, the fleet on the river fired even harder after learning that the artillery fire had accurately covered the Japanese defense line.
"Well done, we should let these little Japanese devils ride in our homemade planes." Not far away, a soldier with black paint on his face and wearing a ghillie suit pounded the ground hard and shouted excitedly.
The soldier next to him patted him on the shoulder. He looked in the direction his comrade's finger pointed and saw a Japanese officer waving a saber in the artillery fire.
The two men looked at each other, and the soldier raised his sniper rifle and, taking advantage of the coverage of the artillery fire, shot the officer in the head, splattering his brains.
The ground around was shaking, bricks and soil were flying, and the continuous explosions almost swallowed up all other sounds.
In the chaos, the Japanese didn't notice that their commander had been sniped.
As the destroyer detachment began its bombardment, the two artillery brigades that had been prepared long ago and the artillery regiments under each division also began their bombardment.
Nearly 600 guns with a range of 100mm or larger began firing in unison.
The entire area around Mandalay has long been divided into countless squares on the map. Each artillery group that has been assigned a target only needs to pour out fire into its target square.
The 54 Sherman Organ Pipe tanks of the 14th Self-Propelled Rocket Artillery Regiment also joined in the fun, and 4320 114mm rockets roared towards the pre-determined barracks, ammunition depots and other locations.
At this moment, the entire outskirts of Mandalay City fell into unprecedented chaos and destruction.
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Amidst the earth-shaking, the old Japanese soldier Tanaka Shinichi crawled and rolled into a pre-prepared basement.
The old man, who was already a little neurotic due to excessive anxiety, couldn't stop shaking his hands at this moment, and the words "the destruction of the locust army" could not help but emerge in his mind.
Is it possible that he, a great general, is going to die here?
You know, since the beginning of the war, the Japanese have never had a high-ranking general killed on the battlefield.
"Boom!" Another violent explosion occurred not far away.
In the basement, sand and gravel fell down. Shinichi Tanaka, covered in dust, looked desperate. He tremblingly took out a pistol, but was immediately discovered by the staff officer beside him.
"Kaka, what are you doing, Kaka!"
The staff officer cried and snatched the pistol, and chaos broke out in the basement.
Outside the city, the first wave of attack by the Anmin Army was ready to go.