Chapter 17 Toshiro Diary (15)

On December 11, dawn broke in the east, and the shelling began in the morning mist.Let's gather at the squadron headquarters. This is a rich family with a luxurious house.There is a neat and beautiful lawn in the spacious courtyard, and green trees line the lawn.There was a spring in the backyard, and the smooth stones were covered with moss.Next to the path in the courtyard is a quaint golden Buddha.Glazed tile roofs and vermilion columns complement each other.Nice interior with some modern flair.Spring, summer, autumn, and winter flowers and birds are painted on the ceiling, and the floor is covered with gorgeous carpets, on which we walk mercilessly in our muddy leather shoes.In the glass bookcase in the room on the right, there are ancient books and scroll paintings that look very precious.In the glass cabinet in the room on the left, there is a collection of priceless Chinese pottery.These pottery are wrapped in silk and numbered one by one, with the words "Qianlong Year", "Kangxi Year" and "Daoguang Year" printed on them.

The era of Iezuna Tokugawa in my country coincided with the most prosperous period of the Qing Dynasty when Emperor Kangxi, Emperor Yongzheng, and Emperor Qianlong reigned in China. Famous scholars such as Qian Daying and Huang Zongxi emerged. The textual research was very developed, and the "Siku "The Complete Book", "Kangxi Dictionary" and other great works, this is an era of cultural prosperity. Private First Class Tanaka, who claims to have an eye for cultural relics, said: "These treasures have never been seen in our country, and their value is simply astronomical." These words made me see that he is already obsessed with materialism, and he has forgotten this. It's a battlefield and I'm looking for something valuable.I wasn't interested in these things at first, but under the influence of Tanaka's antique craze, I confiscated calligraphy and paintings of famous people and two fans with signatures in Wuxi, and I confiscated hanging scrolls in Wujin.

On both sides of the fan, there are opposite poems on the left and right, depicting butterflies, flowers and plants.The painting on the hanging scroll shows the emperor sitting on the back of an elephant, and the inscription is the first year of Daoguang. Tanaka salivated at the pottery, put his body aside, and stuffed these things into his backpack greedily. Although Tanaka is only thirty-seven years old, he is already a reserve soldier who is prematurely aging.It may be because of his carpentry work, his back is hunched, his face is haggard, he walks staggeringly, and he is old. He is more lustful and greedy than anyone else.We were all influenced by his antique fandom and ransacked the room for crockery.I took five incense burners or something and a few saucers.All the bulky items that could not be carried were smashed to pieces.

Tanaka regretted that he was not a heavy soldier, otherwise he would have removed the reclining Buddha statue he was coveting. In the back room hung an oil painting of a nude woman in a glass frame. Someone painted pubic hair on the crotch, and A hole was poked in the crotch, and, besides, a male nude was painted, turning what was a good painting into obscenity. In the cold weather, we took off the packing cloth from the luxurious chairs and tied them around our waists and around our necks. In this house, we smashed all the items that could not be taken away intact. When the artillery fires, we are given full freedom to do as we please and as we please.

The soldier of the second unit who was sleeping in front of the yard suddenly yelled "Wow". His right foot was bleeding, and the blood stained his trouser leg. "Hey! You're alive, you're still alive! Bullets can't fly into the hospital. Come back after Nanjing is captured!" Although he was seriously injured, he went to the rear cheerfully. The shelling continued until two o'clock in the afternoon.The infantry began to attack.We moved to another bungalow.The enemy is aiming their mortars here as the infantry artillery fires heavily from the open space.The courtyard wall of this bungalow is of cement structure, and there is a duty room at the entrance of the courtyard.We had to go through this wide courtyard gate to the ditch on the opposite side of the road, and through the depression to attack the enemy on the high ground, the enemy concentrated their manpower to block the gate.

Bullets hit the goal post and flew in all directions.If you want to pass through this gate, you have to go through it with a rain of bullets.We moved forward against the wall and rushed out when the enemy's bullets stopped. ——In the fierce fire blockade, with our highly concentrated attention and extremely cautious judgment, we rushed out of the gate in a flash, without any casualties, and miraculously passed through this life-and-death barrier.We reached the pit and lay down in the grass. The enemy concentrated their firepower again, pressing us so that we could not advance or retreat.We couldn't see the enemy hiding behind the bushes on the high ground, and the enemy probably couldn't see us either. They just fired according to their own judgment. I thought, this time it's dead!Bullets flew from everywhere.Mortar shells whized over our heads and exploded not far behind us.Our first team was lying in the grass in a row.Captain Nishimoto is not with me, where is he?Is it in front?I am the acting team leader, waiting for other team members to gather here.Tanaka trembled with fear.We were all as motionless as stones.We know that in this situation, even a slight movement is very dangerous.I leaned against the ground and said, "What a powerful bullet!" Then I muttered, "Is everyone here?" Private First Class Kumano replied softly, "It seems that everyone is here."

"Hey! The team leader is injured!" Someone called out. Acting team leader Captain Araki's hand was pierced by a bullet.I ordered Private First Class Honma to nurse Corporal Araki off the line of fire.Now Corporal Nishimoto is the captain of the third team. "The third team advance!" At this time, an order came from the woods in front, and the artillery shells from both sides shuttled back and forth above our heads, roaring like a gust of wind. Machine gun bullets and rifle bullets flew around.I even wonder why the shells on both sides don't collide in the air? This is the flurry of death.

I believe that I will not die, and I am convinced that bullets cannot penetrate my body, so I am not afraid at all.I can't explain why I have this kind of mentality, I always feel that bullets are polite to me.I made up my mind and prepared to rush out. I told the soldiers: "Hey! I'll go out first, find a hidden place and let you know, and then you can go there!" I rushed for more than 70 meters with all my might, and came to the bottom of the big forest.This is a blind spot for enemy firepower, which is relatively safe. I roared angrily: "The first team moves forward! Moves forward! Moves————" But there was no movement, and the members of the squad were probably hesitating.I lay down in the grass and stuffed some compressed biscuits to fill my stomach.After gathering, everyone piled their backpacks on the edge of the bamboo forest, ready for an assault, then crossed the small river and climbed up the hillside to stand by.

It seems that this area is on the outskirts of Nanjing, and there are few beautiful bungalows.We climbed up the road, and the front was like Sangtian. There was a bungalow in the woods to the left of Sangtian. The enemy threw grenades one after another as if angry.I don't know how many enemies are sticking to the bungalows, even if there are only two or three, it is more difficult to deal with than dozens of enemies on the flat ground.These desperadoes pose a great threat to us, and this bungalow has been used as a bunker. I'm on the right side of the troop.A big tree fell on the road about ten meters to my right, which was an obstacle set up by the enemy.About a hundred meters to the right, thick black smoke billowed from the burning house.Night is falling, covering the carnage on the ground.The flame flickering in the dark is like a drunken man. I found that the enemy was shaking like a paper shadow (paper shadow, similar to the shadow in Chinese shadow puppetry.) in the flames, so I borrowed the big tree that fell on the road to defend myself. Shoot the paper shadow.Although I came to the big tree ten meters away from the troops in the dark, this action did not mean that I was really brave. I just wanted to show it in front of the huddled comrades.

Leaving the troops for a little while in a night battle will make people feel scared. I don't know who said: "Shoot there, the enemy will rush over from the right, don't shoot indiscriminately!" We lay in ambush in the grass, waiting for an opportunity.The grenades that were constantly thrown from the bungalow in front exploded frequently in the empty night.While we were in ambush, the officer of the Ninth Regiment came here to talk to the squadron leader.According to the second lieutenant, the mountain fire last night was set by the enemy.The soldiers of the 33rd Regiment attacked from the middle of the mountain and encountered great difficulties.Trapped in a ring of fire, they dismantled their heavy machine guns and escaped.He was attacked on the way and suffered heavy casualties.Twelve soldiers from a unit of the Ninth Regiment stepped on a mine and were blown to pieces.

The squadron leader did not give the order for the assault for a long time, and finally told us to stop the assault and retreat to a bungalow ten meters behind for the night.The bungalow is very beautiful, surrounded by a stone courtyard wall about a person's height.There is a garage next to the gate, a large yard, and a basement.The first and second teams were stationed in another room next to the door. After closing the windows, they lit a fire in the stove to keep warm, and let the night shift guard the fire. Everyone lay down, and I walked up the stairs to the second floor with a flashlight. Checked the room. There are large desks and bookcases in the room on the second floor, and all kinds of books and documents are messy.Looking around from the second floor, there are machine gun fires in all directions, and the flares trail a long trail of light like meteors.Some places are fires, and some places are bright bonfires. I think of the sea in the summer night in my hometown.Like stars falling on the water, the gas lights of fishermen catching squid flickered between the waves. I sat down, lit one of the two remaining cigarettes, and looked around quietly in the cold wind.Suddenly read: "When will I die? Is it tomorrow?" I couldn't help but feel a cold thing rushing towards me, and I went down the stairs in a panic. The squadron leader stayed in the safest place in the basement.We all laughed and said, "The squadron leader said it all, it's terrible!" Throughout the night, the sound of Czech machine gun fire was like festive fireworks, all night long and without a break. On the 12th, at around 7:00 in the morning, we set off before breakfast was made. The enemies who kept throwing grenades last night had long since disappeared this morning.We entered a palace-style building that was said to be a university but not like a school.Blackboards with "female teacher" scribbled on and portraits of "supporting national leader Mr. Jiang Zhongzheng" hung in the school. The portraits were ripped off and trampled under muddy army boots. Heavy machine guns fired violently from the windows of the large room, killing one of the shooters. It may be that the heavy soldiers arrived, and each of them distributed twenty-five Asahi brand cigarettes, which was a timely help. Started to advance from the bushes on the left side of the school, ran for more than 50 meters quickly and crawled forward.The thorns pierce my hand, I put on the gloves collected from Hengshui in Northern China, and crawled like a grub.Enemy bullets roared overhead.On the road, the four light tanks rumbling forward fired machine guns and fired shells.We run behind the tanks, dodging enemy bullets.While running, he caught up with the front tank.The tank stopped and we jumped into the hollow.There is a small river here, and there is a stone bridge over the river. There are obstacles on the stone bridge, which are full of logs and big stones.A one-meter-wide trench was dug next to the pier. The tank encountered an obstacle and could not move forward, so it stopped there and fired.We immediately took cover to a safe place by the river to avoid incoming bullets.The twenty-three-year-old captain of the Nishimoto Division is an active-duty corporal corporal. When we were drafted into the army, he was a corporal.Although he had just graduated from infantry school, he was quickly promoted to our squad leader because he was a corporal volunteer.He was a reckless daredevil, said "let the tank pass", and moved onto the bridge to remove obstacles.We didn't think it would make sense to do that, so we didn't reach out.No matter how hard he tried, the huge stone remained motionless.Enemy bullets flew over.He shouted loudly: "I am doing it here, are you doing revolution? Are you afraid of bullets? "I went up angrily and did this kind of useless work. At this time, Hashimoto and I were completely exposed on the bridge, which was very dangerous. Just as we were halfway through, the team had already crossed the river and started to move forward. I stopped and chased The team went, and Nishimoto followed me and left the bridge. I refused to accept being told "Are you afraid of bullets?", so I took the risk of doing such a stupid thing. Fortunately, I didn't die in vain. Looking back, I feel that in this situation Next, it's better to endure it like everyone else. The first team occupied Zhang Xueliang's home.Before arriving at Zhang Xueliang's house, there was an earthen wall about seven feet high. Inside and outside the earthen wall, trenches were dug everywhere, and the enemies who had just died in the trenches were still bleeding.A lot of ammunition was scattered under the eyes of the earthen wall.The trenches were littered with blue cloth bags of grenades. The anti-Japanese heroes in cotton-padded clothes, leg wraps, and low-cut cloth shoes squatted and died there.Fabrics with various patterns were piled up in the pretty house. The soldiers wrapped the red fabrics around their waists and necks, feeling a spring atmosphere and feeling more energetic. It seemed that they had met a woman and were touched by her soft It feels like touching it with a slender hand with a fragrance, and the red color is easy to make people's blood surge.Zhang Xueliang's house is built on a gentle slope covered with lawns, and it is a mansion.A cannonball had blasted a hole in the grass-green tiled roof, and machine guns were rattling away from the hole.We enter the grand door, walk through the spacious hallway, and meet in the living room.The hall is facing the enemy's position, and a large round table is placed in the center of the hall.Sitting on the luxurious spring chair is like being in a car, with your chest and belly puffed out, giving people a great feeling.We are covered in dirt, sitting on soft chairs, sitting around the table, smoking Asahi cigarettes that have just been distributed, stroking our dusty beards that have not been washed for a long time, as if we are officers attending a major battle meeting, with our feet together, sitting upright , really stylish.As for me, with my legs crossed, my face up and my face puffing, my left hand resting on my head, I put on the appearance of a meritorious minister.Lovely children!Warriors are children. Komazawa said solemnly, as if making a major declaration: "It can be said! Everyone!Regarding the attack on Nanking—" Then he said: "In my opinion, the guys in the depot department have not fully performed their duties. Since the landing, they have not given us a single supply of food and grass, which made us fight while fighting. worry about food.We didn't even get a bag of flour and sauce, and the non-staple food was pickle leaves every day.There are grenades thrown everywhere in the trenches, but it's a pity you can't eat them! " Kumano, with a big beard and a snub nose, also stared and said, "But the boys at the military station must be popular and drink hot food!" I puffed out the smoke ring and said, "Don't worry! Once you enter Nanjing, you will have everything you need, just like Wuxi." Tanaka looks old and has no sexual desire, but he still thinks about women.He said: "Women will have it too." "Also, there will be some antiques." "Yes, Lao Dong, if I can bring some more back to China, I will open an antique shop." "When I enter Nanjing City, the first thing I want to do is to rush into the dim sum shop!" "Shimada, what store are you going to?" "I go to the camera shop and the watch shop." "Don't you have a watch, kid?" "I've been collecting these things to play with recently." "I want a camera, you boy get me one. I'll get you some snacks." Komazawa said in a sarcastic tone: "In our team, Noguchi is a veteran of this kind of thing. No matter what you ask him, you can almost get it. But, it's strange to say, maybe it's sweet rice cake and red bean porridge. He's too big, and he's a coward when it comes to war." "Every time a battle starts, this kid stays behind and can't do anything. But once he arrives at the station, he will be of great use. Confiscating items, he will be the number one in the squadron." "He's despicable, selfish, and annoying, but this kid is really capable at this point, and he's not bad. Kinoshita is even worse. He's never been on a battlefield, and he's a guy who hasn't heard the sound of bullets. Warrior, it’s amazing. But he has plausible arguments for everything he does, but he’s just a useless wild cat and miser. If Nanjing is captured, he will definitely say that he did it. He will definitely return to the team when the time comes. There is really nothing to do with him ." "Oh, don't talk about it. If you say that as long as you take down Nanjing, we can return home triumphantly, and you can eat whatever you want. Let's work harder. But, maybe there will be some people who survived while talking." Dead." Shimada lowered his voice again and said, "Your Excellency our squadron leader is not trustworthy at all, and this is the most terrifying thing. He shows off his power all day long, and you can tell by his face that he is a neurotic." "Because he's still a twenty-five-year-old boy." I added contemptuously. "But look at Jiang Dao again. This second lieutenant is young, but how brave he is!" "That boy of our squadron leader, just because he has no confidence and ability, puts on airs and is arrogant. He is afraid that others will look down on him, which will make him look down on him even more." "The captain of that kid seems incompetent at all!" Shimada said mockingly, at this moment, there was a shout: "Dashan has been hit!" Dashan was hit while passing through the corridor. We were smoking cigarettes leisurely like officers just now, and now we have to lean our bodies against the wall, because enemy bullets may still fly in from the windows, and those who sit far away from the windows feel unsafe and run to By the wall by the window, while we were chatting, the second team set off without saying hello.We hurriedly stepped over the bamboo fence and ran forward desperately in the depression.After arriving at a safe farmland, I unloaded my backpack.Ordering the coolies to guard the backpack, we entered the assault state. There is a high slope more than 100 meters ahead of us, and there is a luxurious building on it. It is said that there will be an attack there tonight.Bullets rained down on the ground and trees, and we lay down behind the mound of earth, waiting for the order from the squad leader to move forward.But after a long time, I didn't see him back.The second team lay down in front of us and moved forward under the command of the team leader.The third team, like us, lay prone in the back. Tanaka, Takehashi, Kumano, Shimosaka, and Komazawa and I lay down behind a mound that was so short that it was exposed when we raised our heads.The enemy's bullets were very accurate and hit the surroundings of the earthen grave.We were pressed to the ground like a mat, the brim of our helmet dug into the ground.The sun turned her last rays from the horizon to the sky, and night drew near.We lay on the ground for nearly two hours, feeling bored.So, everyone put their faces on the ground and smoked. Suddenly, the enemy's bullets came like a rainstorm, probably because the enemy discovered the smoke we exhaled.We immediately put out our cigarettes and continued to lie on our stomachs without making a sound. The last light dimmed and darkness crept over the fields.Xiben rushed back and scolded: "What are you guys doing? They said they were going to charge, why didn't you charge up!" Everyone is very angry. "What! Didn't you tell us to lie down here and wait for you to come back to inform us? We waited until our legs were numb, so you are the team leader? Also said what we do, what does this mean!You bastard!What qualifications do you have to be captain? "While cursing in my heart, I crossed the soil stalks in the bamboo bushes and crossed the ridge. There was a narrow traffic trench in front of me. The third team was here. Everyone held their bayonet guns and held their breath. The atmosphere was extremely tense. We Following closely behind the captain of the third team, Ono Cao Chang, he bowed his waist and waited for the light to be swallowed by the darkness. The health guard went down to Doi and whispered, "The third team! The third team" came here. Cao Chang didn't point out anyone specifically, and reprimanded him: "Health soldiers are not afraid of walking here alone, what are you afraid of?" Yes!There is nothing to be afraid of, we have no hesitation or fear at all. Someone came over quietly.It turned out to be a corporal from the Ninth Regiment. "What about the command to occupy that high ground?" he asked. "It has been bombarded by heavy artillery during the day, and it is very strong and difficult to take." I replied. "Are you going to act now too?" "yes." After speaking, the corporal disappeared into the twilight again. Friendly planes fly like eagles high in the sky.We crawled quietly in the trenches.It was agreed that all members of the squadron would be dispatched to attack Sifang City at night, so they must keep in touch. "Squadron leader! Squadron leader!" I yelled two or three times, but Cao Chang was not at all energetic, and ordered decisively: "The time is up, the other teams have already attacked, let's attack!" It was completely dark around.Mystery, tension, and austerity made the night appear thicker, and we felt breathless. We moved forward step by step quietly. After dark, the gunshots seemed to have come to an end, and the surroundings became quiet. The gunshots in the distance were just like the enemy's own quarrel. Cao Chang's Japanese sword shone coldly in front of my eyes.Out of the end of the trench, came to the grass.The weeds got tangled up in the shoe and it snapped off.About 100 meters ahead, we heard the sound of waterfalls.The small river made a pitiful sound and flowed quietly.The shoes were filled with water, and they made a "thump-thump-thump-thump" sound when walking.The small river that can be easily crossed during the day is not good now.After crossing the creek, there is a slope where the grass grows more lushly. Our death squad has to go up the slope.At this time, I only had one thought in my mind: "I must climb to the front! I am advancing behind Cao Chang. There are enemies on the slope. I want to surpass Cao Chang and go ahead.Cao Chang still walked quietly ahead of me, and walking ahead meant death.It is difficult to get ahead, but easy to follow.I thought more than once: I want to rush to the front!But the great gravity of fear prevented me from doing it anyway.My nerves were concentrated on the eyes and ears, which were alert as those of a horse, and the eyes, presumably, shone like those of a wild animal.The gun in his hand is clinging to his waist, and when he encounters an enemy, he goes up to fight the bayonet. After climbing about 30 meters, the team leader held up the Japanese sword "swipely" and shouted: "Wow! Wow!" Whoa, whoa!" cried out.The shouting aroused my emotions, and I was like crazy.There was a ditch immediately ahead, and I found an enemy in front of him. He was about to run to the right. Suddenly, the team leader slashed across, but almost missed.At the critical moment, I opened the safety catch, fired a shot from behind, and clearly saw the enemy fall down.Step over the trench and continue forward, with the gun close to your waist, no matter what happens, just shoot forward.I only had the words "life" and "death" intertwined in my mind. Although I was not afraid of anything, I always felt like lightning flashed by, and doubts about life or death flashed in my mind. Our unexpected shouts broke through the night like dogs barking.The enemies who were suddenly attacked were in a panic, and their machine guns roared as if their ammunition depots were on fire.The sounds of the enemy's shooting and ours were intertwined, earth-shattering, and broke the tranquility of the night.They were hit by us like a typhoon.At first glance, we appear to be demon-possessed, insane, undisciplined, and brutish.In fact, we are in a highly sensitive and tense fighting atmosphere, with insight and intuition, without orders and calls, and we cooperate with each other with a tacit understanding.We are decisively determining the position, enemy situation, speed, relationship with comrades, terrain, etc. of both the enemy and us by intuition in an instant, and we are definitely not in a state of forgetfulness and no thought. We shoot not to kill the enemy, but to intimidate.The most important thing is the sound.Intimidating and disturbing voices can make all the difference on the battlefield. I gripped the gun tightly at my waist and pulled the trigger mechanically.I crossed the second trench, shooting as I went.When loading the bullet for the fifth time, it jammed. The bullet stuck tightly. The more I panicked, the more I couldn't get it out.I was extremely anxious, on the one hand, I wanted to watch the enemy's movements, and on the other hand, I had to smash the barrel of the gun, shouting loudly to follow, for fear of falling behind.I kept encouraging myself in my heart, not to panic, but to be calm, and while walking in small steps, I took the bullets out.However, the bullets in the chamber could not be removed, so I thought to myself: "Forget it! If you can't shoot, use the bayonet!" With high spirits, I followed Cao Chang across the third trench. Here, the enemy constructed two or three trenches. layers of fortifications.