Devil's Army

Chapter 1806: The Battle to Attack Northern Anhui Begins 1

At 5 o'clock the next morning, people were still asleep.

The Japanese artillery tore apart the tranquility of Bengbu and Huaibei.

On the north bank of the Huai River, the positions of the First Army were suddenly covered by artillery fire and smoke.

Except for those on duty, all the soldiers of the First Army on the north bank of the Huai River were staying in the anti-artillery caves, waiting for the order to attack.

The Japanese artillery continued to bombard for more than half an hour, and the roar of motors was heard on the surface of the Huaihe River.

The Anqing Navy led the Marines to launch an attack from the Huai River to northern Anhui.

At this time, the artillery deployed on the north bank of the Huai River spoke up, and shells hit the Japanese gunboats and small warships on the river.

The Japanese gunboats and artillery on the shore immediately returned fire, suppressing the Japanese artillery fire.

The two sides bombarded each other fiercely.

At this time, the roar of airplanes came from the direction of Shandong.

The Shandong Air Force also rushed over upon hearing the news and joined the battle.

The anti-aircraft weapons on the Japanese warships, which had been well prepared, fired fiercely into the air.

The Japanese antiaircraft artillery on the south bank of the Huai River also fired fiercely into the air. But the Japanese soon realized that something was wrong.

This time, there are more Devil Force fighter jets flying from Shandong than in the past.

Due to lack of intelligence, the Japanese army did not know that the First Army had sent air force reinforcements to Shandong and Henan.

The Shandong Air Force was divided into two routes. The original Shandong Air Force mainly carried out air strikes on Japanese artillery on the south bank of the Huai River.

The newly added air force mainly bombed Japanese gunboats and warships on the Huai River.

The number of Devil Force fighter planes far exceeded the Japanese army's expectations. The Japanese fleet on the Huai River was repeatedly dive-bombed and strafed by the Devil Force fighter planes and fell into trouble.

The artillery of the First Army on the north bank of the Huai River took advantage of the fact that the Japanese artillery fire was attracted by the air force and launched a fierce bombing on the Japanese gunboats on the Huai River.

Japanese infantrymen who were gathering to cross the river were also heavily bombed and strafed by the Shandong Air Force, destroying many assault boats and landing craft.

The Japanese troops, who were out of formation, had to quickly find cover to avoid the air raids of the Devil Force Air Force.

The Anqing Navy, whose attack failed, quickly evacuated the combat area and looked for other breakthrough points.

But the devil's fighter planes followed them like shadows, chasing them closely on the river.

The Anqing naval fleet was never able to escape the bombing of the First Army's fighter planes, let alone find a new breakthrough and attack northern Anhui.

The Anqing naval fleet that entered the Huaihe River consisted of small gunboats and small warships. In order to cope with the First Army's air force, they were equipped with anti-aircraft machine guns, and their anti-aircraft firepower was far inferior to that of large warships.

During the repeated dive strafing and bombing by the First Army Air Force, all the anti-aircraft weapons of the Anqing Navy Fleet were destroyed and many warships were hit and caught fire.

The First Army Air Force attacked the Japanese army's downfall by continuously dropping bombs and strafing the severely damaged Japanese gunboats and warships.

While retreating, the Anqing Navy called for air force reinforcements.

After a while, the Japanese Navy's air force had not arrived yet, but the air force from Guangde Airport and Anqing Airport arrived.

The Henan Air Force that arrived immediately intercepted the Japanese Air Force flying over from Guangde Anqing Airport.

The two sides fought fiercely over the Huai River.

The number of fighter planes dispatched by the Devil's Army this time was far more than they expected.

The Japanese flight captain quickly reported their current situation to the division commander Kumagai and requested additional air force support, otherwise it would be difficult for them to defeat the devil force's air force.

The division commander, Kumagai, had not anticipated the nearly doubled number of fighter planes in the Devil's Army, and he quickly requested assistance from the Hubei Air Force. But it was too late.