Chapter 44: The Battle of Tong Deng (14)

Chapter 44: The Battle of Tong Deng (14)

After a night of battle, the soldiers were all exhausted. I was fine. This war, which was only less than an hour before and after, was just a piece of cake for me, but for others, it was a battle of life and death, especially Battalion Commander Wu and Battalion Commander Ding were injured, and the troops led by him suffered such great casualties.

Considering this, Captain Zhao and Political Commissar Wang didn't have much to do. After a few words, they left and let us go and rest.

"Bail Commander Ding! Battalion Commander Wu..." I walked out of the regiment headquarters and saw Battalion Commander Ding and Battalion Commander Wu slowly walking in front of me, I couldn't help but chase after me.

Although they all made it clear at the meeting, I still felt that I owe them. After all, they are not my subordinates and trust me so much, but I have caused them to suffer such great casualties.

Originally, I felt that I had a lot to say to them, but once I walked in front of them, I found that I didn’t know what to say! Yes! They lost all their lives, they were famous soldiers. What words could compensate those lives and those soldiers?

"Captain Cui, stop saying anything!" Battalion Commander Ding seemed to know what I wanted to say, and answered first: "I understand what you mean. We really don't blame you. Besides, I won't treat us as brothers!"

"Brother!" Battalion Commander Wu also patted my shoulder and said, "Actually, you should think so. If it weren't for your command, if it weren't for the chemical defense soldiers to attack the fort, maybe all the people we brought with us might not be able to come back. You guys! Did you save our lives again? Can we still blame you?"

"Battlefield Commander Wu is right!" Battalion Commander Ding nodded and said, "So Company Commander Cui, don't worry! Even if our two troops are fighting without any of them, they are still willing to obey your command. No, it's just a word - worth it! We are soldiers, and we use our lives to exchange for the lives of the Vietnamese Japanese, and can achieve strategic goals to win battles. There is nothing to say! What I hate is... our soldiers were sacrificed in vain! What I blame is... our lives are used to make up for the mistakes made by our superiors!"

As Battalion Commander Ding said, his eyes slowly turned red, and two tears fell down the wrinkles on his face without realizing it. Perhaps to hide his incompetence, Battalion Commander Ding hurriedly turned his face and waved his hand at me without looking back, throwing two words: "Go away!" He returned to the base as if he was escaping to Captain Wu.

I couldn't help but sigh. What Battalion Commander Ding said was indeed not very impressive. If it were in the ten-year era, it might have been a "counter-revolutionary". But I knew that he was fully qualified to say such words. Because most of the soldiers under him were caused by the wrong command and wrong guiding ideology of his superiors.

And I also know that what he said was not for himself, and these words did not do him at all, and it might even lay a bomb for his future. After all, it was still a sensitive period, and the "exposed and verified" movement was still vigorous in China. Many cadres did not fall in the ten-year ***, but fell in the "exposed and verified" period.

What he said was for the sacrificed soldiers, to speak out for them and to complain for them...

After returning to the garrison, the guards had already arranged a large and comfortable anti-aircraft hole for me. It was a bit beneficial to be a company commander, and there was no need to consider anything when he came back after fighting on the battlefield. However, it seemed that the soldiers prepared for me spontaneously. Nowadays, the equality of officers and soldiers is emphasized, which is why all the clothes worn by cadres from military commanders to platoon leaders were the same, and even the military rank was cancelled. It is said that this was to carry forward the "Jinggangshan Spirit"!

I don't know what the spirit of "Jinggangshan Spirit" is. I only know that soldiers are not easy to lead these days. Because it is about equality between officers and soldiers, not? If an ordinary soldier is dissatisfied with the rewards and punishments of cadres, he can't do anything to him if he openly provokes or even fights. I have seen a soldier. After a battle, all the soldiers around him made contributions. He began to question the platoon leader because he had no contributions: "Did you go through the back door?", "Did you look down on me?", "Did you mean to be unable to get along with me?", "Why do you have other people's contributions, but I don't have it?"

In the end, the quarrel leader was not working. If we dared to fight with our superiors, we wouldn't want to live anymore. In confinement and punishment were inevitable. But now... officers and soldiers are equal, and fighting cannot be regarded as subordinates fighting against superiors, but equally, two soldiers fight, so they fight fifty boards, and both soldiers criticize and criticize themselves...

Not to mention, under this system, there are quite a lot of soldiers in the army! There are a few companies in any company, and even some company commanders and platoon leaders are all soldiers. Just like the deputy company commander under my command, he was originally a famous soldier in our battalion. But I don’t know why... I didn’t even meet such a soldier, and they were all obedient! Isn’t that? The deputy company commander is a famous soldier... He doesn’t seem to be good in front of me? Didn’t he be convinced after a few strokes?

After thinking about it, I think this should have a lot to do with whether a cadre will lead troops to fight. After all, the battlefield is a bad situation where life or death is a life or death. Having a cadre who can lead troops to fight is good for everyone, so everyone is obedient, so I now have a large and comfortable anti-cannon hole to live without labor.

If an incompetent cadre leads his troops, the soldiers under him will come... "The officers and soldiers are equal, why should we dig fortifications for you?", "You have your own hands and feet, we don't have one more!"... Some soldiers will even tell you a lot of slogans and a lot of big truths until you are convinced.

Don’t doubt the ability of these soldiers now. Although they didn’t fight much, they all grew up in the ten-year era. They have done a lot of things like talking about big truths, shouting slogans, and criticizing and fighting!

I was speechless all night, and I was woken up by a few gunfire in the early morning of the next morning.

The Vietnam battlefield is somewhat different from the Korean battlefield, that is, when the two sides are quitting, it is relatively quiet. Unless one side starts attacking, it is rare to hear a few explosions in one night, and occasionally a few gunshots are also fired. Unlike during the Korean War, in order not to let us sleep well or to stop our army's logistics supply line, the planes and shells exploded day and night.

But this is easy to understand. When we resisted the U.S. and aided Korea, we were not at the first level of the Air Force artillery compared with the U.S. military, so the U.S. military can naturally bomb without restraint. And the Americans are rich, right? Sometimes when they see a little bit of a suspected target, they are nothing, and a rattle is just a cannon.

But now the times are different. After so many years of development, our artillery troops have far surpassed the artillery troops of the Vietnamese army. If the Vietnamese army dares to mess up like this, and let our artillery scouts calculate their artillery positions and cover them with a burst of artillery fire, they will not be worth the effort.

From this point of view, the counterattack was quite humane. At least we still had to sleep and eat. We wouldn’t be hungry and unable to sleep when we were doing life-long work like the Korean battlefield…

"Company Commander!"

"Company Commander!"

...

As soon as I walked out of the anti-cannon hole, I welcomed the attention of several soldiers.

I nodded to them, looked for tree roots next to them and sat down, and handed a few cigarettes on them: "I woke up so early? Why don't I sleep for a while?"

"Can't sleep!" A soldier replied with a tired face: "My mind is full of gunfire, cannons, corpses, etc...."

"So too!" Another soldier nodded: "Sleeping is to sleep for a while. I dreamed that I was chased by more than a dozen enemies, and I woke up when I was nervous!"

"A dozen enemies are chasing me!" A warrior joked: "A enemy chases me and you'll finish your life. How can you do that?"

With a "coax!", the soldiers laughed quietly.

"Well!" After hearing this, I realized that the soldiers were not only facing training and equipment problems, but also the psychological problems of their first battle and their first murder.

Speaking of which, I also had this reaction when I was on the Korean battlefield, but the harsh environment on the Korean battlefield made me have no time to think about these issues. From this perspective, the relatively loose battlefield environment of the Vietnam War is not a good thing.

"It's okay!" I comforted the soldiers and said, "Just fight a few more battles and get used to it!"

Although that's the case, I know in my heart that when they get used to it, maybe they don't know how many people will be left.

"Company Commander!" A soldier came up and looked at me with admiration and said, "As of course you are not old, you should have never fought a war like us! Why do you look like you..."

"Yes, company commander!" Another soldier said in admiration: "We all think that you are like fighting for more than ten years. You can do anything and be afraid of anything. No matter how difficult the problem is, it is as easy as cutting tofu in your hands!"

"That's..." Another soldier replied, "I thought I must be a martyr when I was surrounded in Dongxi last time, but I didn't expect that I would escape so easily! I didn't say anything, no one will listen to the war in the future, let's just listen to the company commander!"

"Yes! We will do whatever the company commander says!"

"Other troops are in trouble!" Some soldiers also said: "Just talk about Battalion Commander Ding's troops! Listen to the command of the superior..."

"Hey!" I made a gesture to stop me and said, "Some words should not be said randomly, and everyone can understand them in their hearts!"

"yes!"

"yes!"

...

The soldiers stopped hearing what I said.

"Captain Cui!" At this time, a communication soldier ran to me and reported: "Captain Zhao asked you to go to the regiment headquarters!"

"Come on!" I stood up and put on my military uniform, and said to the soldiers: "Go and rest for a while, maybe there will be a task later!"

"Yes!" The soldiers responded respectfully. When I turned around, I heard the soldiers whispering: "Look, even the regiment commander must listen to our company commander!"

"That's not? What combat plans are not the ideas of our company commander?"

...

I couldn't help but frown. Although these words were praised by me, I believe they were also from the sincerity of the soldiers. But... if this was reached to the regiment commander and the chief of staff, they would probably be jealous of others.

However, on this battlefield, I really can't take care of so many. The attitude of the soldiers actually helps me to issue orders, and also helps me to command them with my arms.

"Captain Cui!" When I walked into the regiment headquarters, Commander Zhao enthusiastically signaled me to the map and said excitedly: "Tell you good news. Last night, our army's communication soldiers had successfully found and cut off the wires and canals leading to the Guitun Fort. The current Guitun Fort is tantamount to a dead fort!"

"I have two skills!" I smiled and said, "I found and cut off their power and water sources so quickly! I will remember the communications soldiers!"

"Hey!" Commander Zhao handed me a cup of tea and said with a smile: "If you want to remember merit, who can compare to your Captain Cui!"

"That's it!" Political Commissar Wang also agreed: "The so-called "The Yangtze River's waves push the previous waves forward. I even claimed to have fought for several years. I didn't expect that it would be a big difference when compared with you! I really don't accept old age, so I can't do it!"

"Political Commissar Wang fought a war?" I couldn't help but ask in confusion.

In this era, what had fought for several years... was the Korean War?

"Yes! I've beaten Americans in North Korea!" As expected, Political Commissar Wang said casually: "I entered North Korea in 1951, now I have a scar on my legs and shrapnel. But I was still a teenager at that time, and now I'm old!"

When I was speaking without intention, I couldn't help but feel a little shocked when I heard what Political Commissar Wang said. I thought to myself that no wonder I seemed to see some simple shadows of the volunteer army in Political Commissar Wang. The people who came from that era were really different from the soldiers today.

Looking at Zhengmeng Wang, a veteran who had participated in the Korean War with me, I couldn't help but feel mixed emotions. A kind of unreasonable comrade-in-arms quickly filled every pore on my body.

But I didn't dare to continue asking, because as I was worried and said, Political Commissar Wang became suspicious: "How do you know so much about resisting the U.S. aggression and aiding Korea?" "You have also beaten the Americans? It's impossible? You should wear open-crotch pants at that time! What's going on?"

It is better to have less than more things. When talking about these things, I would not do anything good for me, so I could only sigh and shift the topic to the Guitun Fort on the map and said, "Since we have already saved all the ways out of Guitun Fort and cut off their water and electricity, it will be enough to cause a devastating psychological blow to the Vietnamese army. I believe that as long as we siege them like this for a few more days, someone in the Vietnamese army will soon come out to surrender!"

Life without food is not good, but life without water is even worse. Even if the Vietnamese army is well-trained and even if the Vietnamese army fights bravely, after they are truly in danger of dying of thirst in the dark tunnel, I believe they can't last long.

"So!" I paused and continued, "As long as we make publicity to the Vietnamese army in the fort, treat the prisoners well, and then use the prisoners to convince the Vietnamese army in the fort, I think the Guitun Fort will soon be destroyed!"

This is undoubtedly the best way. If we can truly treat the prisoners well, then for those Vietnamese troops who were banished in the fort, they will live and die on the other hand, which will be a great temptation for everyone.

But Captain Zhao and Political Commissar Wang looked at me, and I didn't say anything.

"What's wrong?" Seeing this, I couldn't help but ask in confusion.

"Captain Cui, you have a good idea!" Commander Zhao said hesitantly: "But..."

"That's right!" Political Commissar Wang continued: "The superior ordered us to do everything we could to take down the Guitun Fort in the shortest time!"

"Do everything you can do? The shortest time?" I was stunned when I heard this and said angrily: "How to fight? Everyone in the Guitun Fortress saw it, and there was no movement when the shells hit it! What should we fight with our lives?"

I was really angry at this time. We could have easily taken down Guitun without any effort, but now we have to fight for a large number of lives and fight to the top!

"Time is not allowed!" Political Commissar Wang sighed and said, "Originally, we thought like you, but the superiors mean that our troops will be held back by the Vietnamese army for too long..."

"Well!" I understood a little when I heard Political Commissar Wang's explanation.

This may not be blamed for the superiors for being quick and instant benefits. The entire counterattack against Vietnam was only more than three weeks. During these three weeks, our army would not have stopped because of a Guitun Fort. If it was a place else, we would have to go around, but the location of the Guitun Fort is too important. The train station is just below it, and the highway is not a few hundred meters away. If this nail is not pulled out, it means that our army cannot advance smoothly towards Lang Son.

In other words, if the Guitun Fort is dragged for one more day, we will lose one day to attack Lang Son!

Thinking of this, I sat down dejectedly in the chair and stared at the Guitun Fort on the map. It seemed that the soldiers rushed towards the fortress one by one, and fell down one by one in front of it. It should be said that the Guitun Fortress is not a fortress that cannot be defeated. In fact, there is no guarantee in the world that cannot be defeated, especially after the railway station and the nameless highland were knocked down, the fortress had actually become an isolated fort. But there is no doubt that if you want to defeat it, there will still be a large number of soldiers who will fall in front of it.

What I want to think about now is not the question of whether to fight or not, but how to fight!

But how should we chew off this black ghost shell? The French, who had extremely poor offensive combat effectiveness here, took 45 days to defeat them. What we are dealing with now is the well-trained Vietnamese army...

Perhaps, some people may say that the weapons we use now are much better than the 38th hood of the *** people! But for the turret that doesn't even enter the turret, it seems that there is no difference between the machine gun, the submachine gun or the 38th hood.
Chapter completed!