nycdaug Chapter 216 War of Attrition
Chapter 216 War of Attrition
As he spoke, Old Yang, the head cook, lifted the lid of the large wooden barrel, releasing billowing white steam and a fragrant aroma that wafted in the air.
The soldiers swallowed hard, grabbed their mess kits, and quickly lined up!
Each soldier received two spoonfuls of white rice, followed by a large spoonful of braised beef coated in gravy. This left the soldiers thoroughly satisfied!
On the battlefield, it's good enough to have a hot meal, let alone such a good one.
There was also a large wooden tub next to it, filled with piping hot seaweed and egg drop soup. The soldiers could fill it up as they pleased.
"Brothers, make do with this today! I'll steam some meat buns for you tomorrow." Old Yang wiped his hands on his apron, took out a cigarette, and lit it. He watched the soldiers wolf down their food with a broad smile.
"If there's beef every meal, it doesn't matter whether we eat steamed buns or not! Hehe!" the big squad leader muttered as he shoveled food into his mouth.
"You wish! Even landlords wouldn't dare to eat like that!" Old Yang shook his head and laughed as he scolded.
Shen Lian invested a great deal of effort and money to ensure that the soldiers were well-fed and well-nourished. The soldiers of the New Army always had excellent food!
But it was impossible to eat meat every meal! Plain white steamed buns were enough to fill you up, and having a meat and vegetable meal every day was already considered very good in those days!
Today, because of the amphibious landing operation, we've been fighting non-stop and haven't had time to steam buns or anything like that. So I just cooked rice.
Although most of the soldiers were from the north, they could still eat rice a few times a day without any problem.
"Alright, everyone's had their food! Let's go!" Old Yang waved his long iron ladle, took the two cooks with him, picked up their loads, and headed to the next trench.
The 1st Division was having their meal, while the Japanese soldiers across from them were still growling with hunger. They had been urgently transferred to the front lines and immediately began constructing fortifications upon arrival, and hadn't even had time to drink a drop of water yet.
"Baka! What are these Chinese eating that smells so good?" A Japanese sergeant swallowed hard and cursed.
“Senior, it smells like braised beef! I smelled it once a few years ago when I was working at Lord Yamamoto’s house!” A thin Japanese private first class said as he approached.
Damn it! These Chinese troops are not only well-equipped and have advanced weaponry, but they even eat so well!
Isn't it said that China is very backward and very poor?
The Nakamura family came from a wealthy peasant background, owning twenty or thirty mu of land, which was considered quite good for them in the village.
His father treasured the old water buffalo, considering it more precious than the lives of his brothers. He not only fed it, but also cared for it meticulously every day.
If a cow in the village dies of illness or old age, it must be reported. Goods like hides and tendons must be handed over. Even beef is often bought up by wealthy people; it's not something the poor can eat casually.
He had been in the reserve force for three years, and was only selected this year when the 15th Division was formed. He even became a sergeant major.
They're lucky if they can eat pork once every ten days or half a month.
"Dinner's ready! Dinner's ready!" As darkness fell, the Japanese army's food was finally served.
Each person received two fist-sized rice balls and a bowl of very salty seafood soup.
The soldiers ate with great relish, licking every last grain of rice clean. Only Nakamura thought the rice balls were too hard and had a musty smell. They must have been made with old rice from last year.
The beach was brightly lit, and the soldiers of the supply corps were still busy moving various supplies.
The 1st Army Division and most of the armored divisions had landed, although they had suffered artillery fire from the Japanese along the way. However, with the cover of warships, the losses were not significant.
"Tell the 28th and 29th Regiments at the front to be on high alert and watch out for a Japanese night attack!" Shen Daowu said, pointing at the map with a cigarette between his fingers in the temporary command post.
"Yes! We've already reminded them. We've also communicated with the Marine Brigade and the Armored Division; they can support us if necessary," the chief of staff nodded.
The staff that the commander-in-chief set up is really good; he only needs to grasp the general direction. They handle all the miscellaneous tasks, making battles much easier.
Shen Daowu took a drag of his cigarette, nodded, and thought to himself, "I'm a latecomer to this field. Without a staff, I have no ability to command an army of 50,000."
"Telegram to the Commander-in-Chief! The majority of our troops have landed, routed the Japanese 16th Division, and killed over 20,000 Japanese soldiers. We have captured countless weapons and supplies! Our casualties are minimal!"
"We have now secured a firm beachhead and advanced five kilometers along the front line. Requesting further instructions!"
"Yes!" An aide handed over the draft telegram, which Shen Daowu glanced at and signed.
"Uncle Daowu fought brilliantly, giving us the first victory! Hehe!" Shen Lian received the telegram and handed it to the officers with a smile.
"Uncle Daowu has the talent of a great general. He wiped out 20,000 Japanese soldiers in one fell swoop. He's amazing!" Shen Xuewu said with pride.
He is now Shen Lian's bodyguard adjutant, and together with Lu Da, he is responsible for Shen Lian's safety.
Shen Daowu was the highest-ranking member of their family in the army, and naturally, the Shen family all hoped that he could achieve more military merits and gain greater military power as soon as possible.
"Yes! General Shen is calm and experienced, with the demeanor of a famous general!" The senior advisors chimed in.
Everyone knows Shen Daowu's identity, and now that they've won a battle, who wouldn't want to curry favor and do him a favor?
"Hey! That's too much! I know perfectly well whether he has the potential to be a great general!" Shen Lian waved his hand.
"We don't necessarily need famous generals; we just need to rely on our strong strength and system to overwhelm them!"
"So-called famous generals! They are no match for true strength!" Shen Lian said confidently.
Our equipment and tactics are a generation ahead of the Japanese army, and our troop strength is no less. We refuse to believe we can't take these few small islands.
"Telegram to the Tokyo theater: Just hold the line. Proceed as planned, use the navy's powerful naval guns to wear down the Japanese forces as much as possible. This will reduce resistance for the future attack on Tokyo!"
Now that he had successfully logged in, Shen Lian was in no hurry!
He wanted to see if he could replicate the Battle of Shanghai. If he could eliminate hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops, the subsequent battles would be much easier!
"Stay alert! Let the soldiers who aren't on duty take a break. Tonight's going to be exciting!" Chen San walked across his position, giving instructions to several platoon leaders.
The new army had practiced night raids and counter-night raids extensively, and everything was done in an orderly manner according to regulations. It was just a matter of whether the Japanese dared to come!
At one o'clock in the morning, the battlefield was quiet. At the Japanese assembly point, a large number of Japanese soldiers dressed in black uniforms silently assembled.
To be honest, the Japanese army's black uniforms still had a significant advantage in nighttime operations. If they didn't make a sound, you wouldn't even know they were right in front of you.
With a Japanese officer wearing a menstrual belt on his head giving the order, a large number of Japanese troops crept towards the Chinese positions.
The two sides' positions were only two or three hundred meters apart, and after advancing about halfway, they had not yet been discovered by the Chinese army. The Japanese officers were secretly delighted.