"Report!" While I was pointing at the map with Commander Pang and Political Commissar Pan, a correspondent hurriedly ran in and reported: "Report to Commander Pang, Political Commissar, and Battalion Zhang of the Third Battalion reported that they heard gunshots on the left wing of their positions!"

"What?" Commander Pang was shocked when he heard this and asked quickly: "Have you found out which unit it is?"

"Not yet!" the correspondent replied: "Battleman Zhang has sent a reconnaissance team to reconnaissance, but there is no result yet."

Commander Pang walked back and forth anxiously for two steps, and then quickly ordered: "Go back and tell Battalion Commander Zhang! Once the situation is found out, report it to me!"

"Yes!" The correspondent responded and ran out quickly.

"The troops stationed on our left wing were originally..." Seeing this, I couldn't help but ask.

"The left wing is the 15th Army, and the right wing is the 63rd Army!" Political Commissar Pan answered looking at the map.

Actually, I know these situations. I ask this question clearly without wanting to make Captain Pang and Political Commissar Pan feel strange how I know so much.

"It's unreasonable!" Captain Pang frowned and said, "Can the enemy rush in? Can't the comrades of the 15th Army stop it?"

"It should be that the comrades from the 15th Army have received the order to start retreating." I replied.

"But..." Captain Pang said in confusion: "Why don't they tell us when they retreat? Didn't this expose our left wing to the enemy's gun?"

"They don't know that our army is still holding its position." I couldn't help but smile bitterly when I heard this, "The comrades of the 15th Army thought we also received the order to retreat, and as I think, the 63rd Army on our right wing would have the same idea!"

Upon hearing this, Captain Pang, who was walking anxiously, stood still as if he was shocked. After a long time, he quickly walked to the map, then sighed and raised his head with difficulty and looked at Political Commissar Pan and said, "Old Pan, we are going to become an isolated army!"

Political Commissar Pan pointed out with a serious expression: "I think we should report these issues to our superiors in a timely manner and attract the attention of the command center as soon as possible!"

"That's right, I'll go to see the division commander now!" Captain Pang grabbed the belt and pistol hanging next to him and tied it to his waist. When he was about to go out, he was stopped by Political Commissar Pan.

"Old Pang, do we have to wait until Battalion Commander Zhang's reconnaissance results come out before reporting? This situation has not been clarified yet. What if..."

"I can't care about that much!" Commander Pang lifted up the black cloth and walked out. After walking a few steps, he turned around and shouted: "Deputy Commander Cui, come with you too!"

"Yes!" I responded and followed Captain Pang with the guards.

He followed Captain Pang and ran forward in a hurry, and arrived at the division headquarters in just over ten minutes.

"Report!" Captain Pang did not take a break, and shouted outside the door panting.

"Come in!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Commander Pang couldn't wait to lift up the black cloth and broke in: "Teacher Commander, Political Commissar, I have something to report!"

"Well? Is it Captain Pang? And Deputy Battalion Commander Cui..." Commander Zheng was surprised when he saw that it was us: "Why are you... not commanding the war on the front line, why are you here to do?"

"I'm here to ask for me!" Political Commissar Wu laughed: "Don't worry, we were discussing you just now! After such a big victory, you are bound to be credited!"

"No, political commissar..." Commander Pang was anxious and didn't know where to start. Moreover, the retreat of the 15th Army was just suspicious. Before it was finally confirmed, Commander Pang was stunned for a moment and didn't know what to say.

"Team Commander Zheng!" I, the representative commander Pang, replied: "We may be trapped in the encirclement of the enemy. Our left 15th Army has retreated!"

"The 15th Army has retreated? So fast?" Hearing this, Commander Zheng and Political Commissar Pan were shocked. Commander Pang looked at me with some surprise. I knew the meaning of that glance. He was blaming me for saying that information that had not yet been confirmed as confirmed, and it was inevitable that there would be suspicion of lying about military information.

But I don’t care about so much. Firstly, in my knowledge, I can confirm that the 15th Army has indeed retreated, and then the retreat will soon be the 63rd Army on the right wing; secondly, I hope to buy more time for the 180th Division, and it would be best if the 180th Division could not be surrounded by the enemy.

"Why didn't we receive any news?" Political Commissar Pan couldn't help but ask in confusion: "Where did you get the information!"

"This..." I couldn't help but hesitate to look at Captain Pang, and I couldn't help feeling embarrassed. I couldn't lie openly in front of Captain Pang who knew the truth!

Captain Pang also opened his mouth and didn't know how to say it. Let's tell the truth! Then it's different from what I said. Let's talk about it as I said, that's another lie about military affairs!

"Report!" When we were in a dilemma, a large and thick volunteer soldier crashed into the door. Seeing that he was wearing a Tokarev pistol on his waist like Captain Pang, I thought he should be a leader.

Sure enough, Commander Zheng quickly asked, "Well? Commander Wang, is there anything wrong?"

"Report to the division commander, political commissar!" Commander Wang saluted to the two and reported: "At 4:10 pm, a small number of enemy troops were found on the right wing position of our regiment, so he sent a reconnaissance team to reconnaissance, and found that the comrades of the 63rd Army had withdrawn from the position!"

"Um!" Hearing this, Commander Zheng and Political Commissar Wu couldn't help but gasp and walked to the map at the same time. Commander Pang and I were relieved and looked at each other tacitly.

"Old Zheng!" Political Commissar Wu hesitated for a while before he raised his head and said, "I think if we should withdraw the main force to the north of the North Han River, leaving only the cover troops in Jiangnan to block the enemy, so as not to fall into a passive position!"

"I think this too!" Commander Pang couldn't help but interrupt, "Our army's 179th Division and 181st Division cannot arrive in time. If we still keep the main force of the 180th Division in Jiangnan, we will inevitably be attacked from all sides. Moreover, our army is fighting against the water, which is a taboo for military strategists!"

"I also thought of this problem!" Division Commander Zheng sighed and said, "The problem is that the superior's order is to let us defend on the spot and cover the retreat of the large troops. We must consider the overall situation. If the tasks assigned by our superiors are not completed and the overall situation is passive, it will be even more difficult to deal with. Moreover... without receiving instructions from the superiors, I have no right to change the order to block and cover the retreat of other troops on the spot!"

"Then..." Political Commissar Wu hesitated: "We will report the situation to the military headquarters and ask for instructions on what will happen next?"

"You ask for instructions!" Commander Zheng did not seem to want to raise difficulties to his superiors, so he pushed this problem to Political Commissar Wu.

"Yes!" Political Commissar Wu gritted his teeth and quickly ordered the radio station soldiers next to him: "Radio! Report the situation to the military headquarters immediately..."

When Captain Pang and I walked out of the division's air raid shelter, we were in a heavy mood, because the command of the military headquarters was still to order the 180th Division to defend and cover the large force to retreat on the spot, and wait for the 179th Division and the 181st Division to move closer to us.

In modern information, I know there is a misunderstanding.

In fact, the military headquarters also means to let the 180th Division retreat. Just when we were debating whether to retreat, the 60th Army Command also had a debate similar to the division headquarters just now. Some people suggested withdrawing the 180th Division, while others suggested implementing the order from the superior. The reason is that the military headquarters received an order from the Corps Command:

"... Due to the lack of transportation capacity, the wounded soldiers on the battlefield have not been transported away. For this reason, the departments will not withdraw their troops for the time being, and build solid fortifications at the forefront to block the enemy, and then withdraw them after they are transported away. I hope that the troops will arrange and report to us in this spirit..."

The meaning of this telegram is very clear, which is to ask all armies to organize the transport of wounded people. When the wounded people are not transported, do not leave the wounded and evacuate them. If their wounded people are transported, they can retreat. There is no specific army for a specific division...

However, just such a clear telegram was understood by the 60th Army Command as: "The 60th Army must cover the transfer of wounded personnel in the entire Corps." Therefore, according to the order of the Corps Command, the Military Department ordered the 180th Division to defend on the spot, and ordered the 180th Division to wait for the wounded personnel to be transported away before retreating, even if it made a major sacrifice, it would be spared!

The order must be implemented. After this order from the military headquarters, everyone has nothing to say. Even though they know that this battle cannot be fought, even if they know that the entire division may be surrounded and annihilated by the enemy if this continues, the order is an order...

What can I do? Is this order just a misunderstanding? Use the radio to tell the military headquarters to let them understand the meaning of the Corps' telegram? Not to mention that I am just a small battalion commander and a deputy, no one will believe it if I say it. They just ask one question: "How come you know the telegram sent by the Corps to the Military headquarters?" Then I will die before I succeed!

"Captain Pang, I'm back to the position!" As I approached the regiment headquarters, I said to Pang Kickchang, who was bowing his head and pondering.

"Well! Have you arrived at the regiment headquarters?" Captain Pang then woke up from his thoughts, nodded at me and said, "Go! Go back and have a good rest, and soon there will be a bad battle to fight!"

"Yes!" I responded and turned around and left.

"Come back!" But before I could take a few steps, I was stopped by Captain Pang. He stood in front of me, putting on the belt and Feng Jikou, and said with a serious face: "Comrade Cui Wei, you performed very well in our army! He blocked the attack of enemy tanks for our army and provided our army with valuable combat experience. I would like to thank you for the soldiers of the 180th Division! However, according to the orders of the superiors, the task of blocking and covering the retreat of the large army on the spot was entrusted to our 60th Army. The soldiers of other troops would be withdrawn according to the orders, and the Forty Army was no exception!"

"Captain! You..." After hearing this, I finally understood what Captain Pang said. He wanted to "kick" us at this time.

"Stop talking nonsense! Execute the order!" Captain Pang's tone could not allow me to refute at all.

"I, I won't leave!" I cursed in my heart: Damn it! I'm executing the order again, I'm really tired of hearing this.

"You..." Captain Pang saw that I didn't listen to the order and had no choice but to get angry that he gritted his teeth. After a while, he sighed, patted my shoulder and said, "Let's go! Take your troops tonight and leave!"

As he said that, he didn't care whether I wanted it or not, and turned around and drilled into the air raid shelter.

When I returned to the air-raid shelter, the sky was getting darker. I took out the map in my arms and moved enough under the dim sky. I couldn't see anything clearly. In the end, I had to give up and wrap the map again and put it back in my cotton coat.

I found a place to lie down in the dark pit, but my mind was filled with thoughts.

A few days ago, I thought that letting the volunteers retreat two or three days in advance can greatly reduce the casualties of the volunteers. Now it seems too optimistic. What I didn’t expect was that if the volunteers retreated early, the US military would naturally launch a counterattack in advance. The Americans would not be so stupid that they saw the volunteers retreating, and they would wait for two or three days to start counterattack according to the historical date. The difference is that the US military’s preparations were not so sufficient...

Therefore, the Volunteer Army retreated two or three days in advance to reduce casualties of the Volunteer Army to a certain extent, but I am afraid that the final battle situation is still not optimistic. At least until now, the 180th Division has not yet escaped the danger of being surrounded and is still repeating the history of being surrounded that year.

And I, a person who clearly knows this history, was helpless to find that I didn't seem to play much role in it.

What role can I do if I continue like this? As long as Commander Zheng Qigui always adheres to his principles, insists on abide by the orders of the military headquarters, and even later breaks through according to the breakout route indicated by the military headquarters, the result will still be the same as in history.

No! I must not let such a thing happen! Thinking of this, I sat up suddenly and shouted in the dark: "Zhao Yongxin!"

"arrive!"

"Is your lighter still there?"

"Here!" But Zhao Yongxin quickly hesitated: "Deputy Battalion Commander Cui, the superior has an order, no fire is allowed..."

"Let the soldiers use cotton coats to block the hole!" I gave the order without thinking.

"Yes!" There is no need to name a few soldiers soon took off their cotton coats and blocked the hole. The mental outlook of the volunteer soldiers was really unspeakable.

With a "kneel" sound, the air-raid shelter suddenly became bright. I took out the map from my arms, and Zhao Yongxin quickly came up with the lighter. The soldiers knew that I wanted to look at the map, and they cooperated very much without saying a word.

The high grounds and highways on the map quickly became clear. As the firelight jumped, the yellow map turned into a trembling blood red, and there seemed to be a battle of war and blood on it...

The 1st Division of the United States is here, the 7th Division of the United States is here, and there are the 24th Division of the United States, the 6th Division of the Puppet Division, and the Puppet Capital Division... The forces of the five enemy divisions will naturally complete the encirclement of the 180th Division during the counterattack. It is just a bit surprising that because the 180th Division's mission is to separate the connection between the US military and the puppet army, the location is just at the junction of the US military and the puppet army defense zone, after the 180th Division was surrounded by the enemy's coalition forces, the US military did not find this because of insufficient contact with the puppet army, until the 180th Division retreated across the North Han River and deployed defenses along the river according to the instructions of the military headquarters.

At this time, the military headquarters was afraid that the highly mechanized US 24th Division had crossed the Beihan River, but they were still ordering the already lonely 180th Division to set up defenses along the river to cover the retreat of the large army. So the 180th Division, which was deployed along the river, suddenly discovered that it was full of enemies...

There is no doubt that during the period when the 180th Division was surrounded, the command of the military headquarters was very chaotic. They always issued orders to occupy favorable terrain to block the enemy with unknown military situations to avoid the enemy. Even the 180th Division sometimes received two orders with conflicting contents at the same time. First, a telegram asked them to move north of Mapingli to block the US army. However, the troops had just walked five kilometers towards Mapingli and received another telegram to cover the retreat of the wounded.

In addition, the commander Zheng Qigui is a person who strictly abides by the orders of his superiors, so the opportunity to break through again and again was lost in the telegrams and orders...

Wei Jie, the commander of the 60th Army, was finally dismissed, which is really a big deal.

In fact, this cannot be blamed on the military headquarters. The intelligence systems and communication equipment of the Volunteer Army are too backward. The speed of the US military interspersed has always been ahead of the communication of the Volunteer Army's intelligence, so the intelligence obtained by the military headquarters is always lagging behind, and the combat plan formulated is always inappropriate.

The most famous one is a "tank commando" organized by the commander of the US Army Almond. With the cooperation of the aircraft, this tank commando quickly broke through a road that the volunteers needed to be most important to guard against at a speed of 32 kilometers per hour, allowing the US military to easily penetrate the road from Hongchuan to Pseudo, and surrounded tens of thousands of volunteer soldiers south of the Zhaoyang River, including the 180th Division.

Yes! Tank Commando! Hongchuan to Phosphorus...

I quickly found the two locations of Hongchuan and Phoho on the map. Looking at the winding road on the map, I couldn't help but gasp. This road was like a steel knife and penetrated from the US military's defense line to the border of the Zhaoyang River. If the US military penetrated into this highway and then deployed defense along the Zhaoyang River natural barrier, then all the volunteers who did not rush to retreat through the Zhaoyang River will be surrounded in the small protrusion on the eastern line.

Now it is not only a matter of rescuing one division of the 180th Division, but also a matter of rescuing all other volunteer soldiers who came to retreat through Zhaoyang River without rushing to the point of all this on this highway and on that "tank commando"!

Fortunately, our current location is not far from this highway. The straight-line distance on this map is only seven or eight kilometers, and the actual distance should be more than ten kilometers!

"All gather!" Thinking of this, I stood up and ordered: "Call all the soldiers and prepare to set off!"

"Yes!" the soldiers responded and soon began to organize their equipment. Several soldiers ran out quickly to notify the soldiers in other tunnels.

Commander Pang is right! Looking at the soldiers who are busy in a group, I couldn't help but sigh. We should indeed leave the 180th Division. Now it's time to say goodbye to Commander Pang.
Chapter completed!