Volume 3 The Third Battle Chapter 9 Hiding Soldiers
Everyone was silent for a long time. Chen Ye habitually lit a cigarette and said, "If we fight hard, won't the losses of the troops be too great?"
Although Chen Ye said this, everyone knew that it was more than just a matter of losses. If the puppet army on the other side of the river had stronger firepower, it would be a problem whether our regiment could rush to the enemy. Even if we did, there would be only a few people left, and we would not be able to charge the enemy's bunkers. It was just that the Volunteer Army never said such words that would destroy their own prestige and boost the enemy's morale, so Chen Ye brought it up in such a "tactful" way.
"There are difficulties." Instructor Zhao, who was sitting next to me, said, "For example, in our company, less than one-third of the soldiers are veterans. The rest are new recruits who know nothing. They have not received any military training. They have to fight such a tough battle right from the start. I'm afraid it's a bit..."
Everyone knew what was going to happen next, so there was no need for Instructor Zhao to say anything more.
"This problem is not limited to your company!" Chen Ye nodded and said, "After two battles, other companies have suffered casualties to varying degrees. Among the more than 1,000 people in the entire regiment, nearly 400 are new recruits. The combat effectiveness of our regiment will be compromised!"
"Can we change the crossing point?" someone suggested.
"The situation at other crossing points is similar." Captain Chu shook his head and said, "The puppet army is deployed along the Imjin River. The other troops responsible for the first attack will face the same situation as us. In addition, a large number of civilian workers have been organized to build fortifications. The longer time passes, the stronger this line of defense will become."
"Can I..." I couldn't help but say in a low voice .
"Can I ask you something?" When Captain Chu saw me speak, his eyes lit up, and Political Commissar Chen Ye and others all looked at me. Maybe it was because my previous suggestions were very effective, and now they are a little used to waiting for me to come up with ideas.
"Captain!" I hesitated, then pointed at the map and said, "When we attack, we have to pass through the plain on the north bank. If the enemy has enough firepower, we won't be able to get through this plain, not to mention the Imjin River, cliffs, minefields, etc. behind us!"
"Do I need to tell you that? Don't you guys have eyes to see?" Captain Chu glared at me unhappily.
"Captain Cui!" Chen Ye pointed at me with the flashlight in his hand and said, "Speak to the point, speak to the point!"
"Well!" I paused and said, "Can we ambush on this plain? Then when the time comes to attack, we will rush forward from the plain. It won't take long to cross the river surface of 100 meters. If we rush quickly, we can cross the river in less than a minute. By then, the enemy won't be able to react! Besides, once we cross the river, we will be under the cliff, which is a blind spot for artillery fire. The enemy's artillery can't hit us, right? At night, we will fight the puppet army with light equipment. Who is afraid of whom?"
"Oh!" Captain Chu and Chen Ye looked at each other and said, "We only thought about hiding the troops in the forest , but why didn't we think of hiding them in the plains?"
"But it's not easy to hide thousands of people in the plains!" Chen Ye frowned and said, "If we are not careful and the enemy finds us, our combat intention will be exposed."
"Political Commissar!" I reminded him, "Isn't it snowing all the time? Let's crawl over there and dig a few tunnels , and crawl back before dawn. The snow will cover everything in no time. If the enemy doesn't send people to take a look, they won't be able to find anything from across the river. In a few days, let alone hiding a troop of more than a thousand people, hiding artillery won't be a problem!"
"Right, right, right..." Captain Chu clapped his fist and said, "That's it. You guys are the best! Let's do it tonight!"
"Old Chu !" Chen Ye said with a smile, "We can't rush this. It's already past midnight tonight. Not to mention that the new soldiers can't stand it, it's almost dawn. If we're not careful, the snow won't cover our traces, and we'll fail!"
"That's right!" Captain Chu realized that he was too impatient and smiled embarrassedly, "Then let's change it to tomorrow night!"
"I say, Old Chu!" Chen Ye looked at me and nodded, saying, "Captain Cui's suggestion is very good. I think we should report it to our superiors. If it is fully promoted in our first attack troops, it will definitely greatly reduce the casualties of our troops."
"That's right." Captain Chu said excitedly: "This time, we will definitely catch those puppet troops off guard!"
After a pause, Captain Chu said to us, "It's settled. Take the soldiers to the mountains tonight to hide and start the operation tomorrow night! Each battalion and company must keep an eye on their soldiers and make sure not a single soldier is left behind. Keep the secret strictly! Anyone who leaks the secret will be punished by revolutionary record!"
"Yes!" The soldiers responded straightforwardly. After knowing that this was how they would fight, the negative impact of the harsh terrain on them disappeared instantly, and they spoke with more confidence.
"Not bad! Captain Cui!" On the way back, Instructor Zhao looked at me in disbelief and said, "I've only been here for a day, and you've already made another great contribution!"
"Hey! How can that be considered a meritorious service?" I couldn't help but blush. In fact, this is not a good idea. According to modern information, the third battle of crossing the Imjin River was fought in this way. Even if I don't say it now, the same instructions may come down from the superiors later.
"How can you say this is not a meritorious service?" Instructor Zhao shook his head and said, "You are being modest. If it weren't for your method, if our troops had just rushed through, who knows how many people would have died! This, this is almost as good as winning a battle!"
Instructor Zhao was talking excitedly, but I couldn't hear a word he said, and I couldn't feel happy at all. Because I knew that the price of crossing the 38th parallel this time was heavy. When we retreated again, more than 50,000 volunteers were lying there and would never come back. More than 50,000 people, more than 50,000 volunteers full of blood, nearly one-sixth of the casualties in the entire Korean battlefield, would never come back because of a political sentence!
But what can I do? The time given to me is too short. I can't change the whole situation of the war, and I don't have the ability to do it because I am just a small company commander.
I can only painfully recall every detail of the Fourth Battle, hoping that with my limited strength, I can save more lives of the volunteer soldiers!
