You were tasked with guarding the Sihang Warehouse, and you ended up with a German-equipped division

Chapter 25 Anglo-American Mediation: A Choice

"That's right. The only way to deal with these guys is with absolute force, Commander."

Yoshizumi Ryosuke spoke, but secretly he was delighted.

After all, he had no way back now; only by eliminating the enemy troops at Sihang Warehouse could he save face.

"Organize offensives while continuously persuading the enemy to surrender during lulls in the fighting, thus increasing the leverage for surrender."

I don't believe that everyone here doesn't want to live, that everyone is willingly going to die.

After Matsui Iwane finished speaking, he turned and left.

He knew he couldn't delay any longer.

The headquarters was putting a lot of pressure on him.

As long as they can bring down the fluttering Blue Sky with a White Sun flag and justifiably declare control of the SH city area, a reasonable compromise is not unacceptable.

Moreover, this so-called compromise can be changed later.

In Matsui's view, this cannot be called a breach of trust; it is an application of "strategy."

After Matsui Iwane left, the Japanese army launched another attack.

Unlike before, this time the Japanese army adopted a strategy of attrition warfare.

Yoshizumi Ryosuke personally commanded the troops, dividing them into five groups, each group undertaking one wave of attack.

Even if we fail, it doesn't matter. What we need to do is to continuously deplete the enemy's manpower, firepower, ammunition reserves, and so on.

Two Japanese infantry regiments were immediately transferred to launch another fierce attack on the Sihang Warehouse.

The battle raged from day to night, with gunfire and explosions almost constant.

On the position, the Maxim heavy machine guns emitted white steam, and the cooling water boiled continuously with each shot.

The MG34 and MG42 machine guns required constant barrel replacements to maintain their suppressive power against the attacking Japanese forces.

The Japanese army used almost every means at its disposal.

The bombardment from artillery, the suppressive fire from heavy machine guns, and the use of motorcycles loaded with bombs, driven by Japanese suicide squads, directly stormed into the Sihang Warehouse or its outer perimeter.

The battle continued from night into day, showing no sign of stopping.

The fighting grew increasingly intense, which thrilled the Chinese people in the concession, while the British and Americans were worried.

Stray bullets from both sides have repeatedly entered the concession area, causing casualties.

The British and American consuls noted that the Japanese offensive was becoming increasingly frantic.

They were also worried that if the Japanese army allowed this anger and madness to spread, it might lead them to disregard diplomatic repercussions and directly use heavy artillery fire to bombard the enemy.

If the heavy artillery hits its target, that's fine, but if it misses and lands inside the concession, that's a sight they absolutely cannot allow to be seen.

In particular, this could very likely result in casualties among its own people.

Commander He handed the two telegrams to the Chairman and said:

"Chief, the British and American consuls have both sent telegrams, saying they hope we can issue orders to end the fighting of Xie Jinyuan's troops in the Sihang Warehouse area."

This surprised the chairman, since just two days ago the UK and the US had acted as if it were none of their business.

He looked at Commander He and said:

"Jingzhi, do you think the UK and US are trying to send some kind of signal by intervening in this matter? To mediate the current conflict between us and Japan?"

Commander He pondered for a moment and said:

"I don't know. It's possible that they simply believe that if the Sihang Warehouse cannot be captured after a long siege, the Japanese army might use heavy artillery fire, which would damage the concession."

The Chairman stood up and said:

"The signing conference is about to convene, and it seems that my decision to leave a lone force at Sihang Warehouse was correct."

After speaking, the Chairman looked at Commander He and said:

"Jingzhi, how many people are still inside the Sihang Warehouse?"

Xie Jinyuan reported that there were still more than 350 people.

Commander He replied, thinking to himself that the Chairman must have changed his mind.

The Chairman nodded and said:

"They are the bravest soldiers of the Party and the State. Go and coordinate with the British and Americans to express your willingness to end the battle at Sihang Warehouse."

However, it's necessary to bring the Japanese to the negotiating table as well, while also ensuring the safety of these Nationalist soldiers.

"yes!"

Commander He said this, thinking that it would be a good thing if these soldiers died in vain at Sihang Warehouse.

Whether all they have done will have a positive impact on the signatory conference a few days later remains to be seen.

The third day of fighting was almost instantaneous compared to last night's battle.

Gunshots and explosions rang out all night long.

The fierce battle continued until noon when the Japanese attack suddenly ceased.

Not long after, Xie Jinyuan also called Li Jianghe upstairs to the command post.

"The British and Americans mediated, and their current condition is to guarantee our personal safety, but we need to lay down our weapons and withdraw into the concession."

As Xie Jinyuan said this, he placed a telegram on the table.

"This is a telegram personally issued by the Chairman."

Yang Ruifu looked at the contents of the telegram and slammed his fist on the table.

"Put down your weapons, what's the difference between that and surrendering?! Commander, keep fighting! If we die here, we're heroes; if we lay down our weapons and surrender, we're cowards."

Although he possessed a refined and scholarly air, he acted with extreme resolve, preferring to break rather than bend.

Xie Jinyuan looked up at Li Jianghe and said:

"Company Commander Li, what are your thoughts?"

Li Jianghe looked at the telegram, lit a cigarette, and said leisurely:

"Putting down our weapons and entering the concession would only mean surviving. I'm not willing to do that. I will lead the brothers of the Third Battalion to fight our way out."

He made no attempt to hide his true thoughts.

Xie Jinyuan was quite surprised to see how determined the two were to resist.

He was not afraid of death; in fact, dying here would be a fitting end for him.

However, as a soldier, obeying orders is his duty, and Xie Jinyuan, as the commander, could not disobey orders on the battlefield.

"I understand what you mean."

Finally, Xie Jinyuan seemed to have made up his mind. "I will ask the soldiers what they think. Those who want to break out with you can break out, and those who want to enter the concession can enter. What do you say?"

Yang Ruifu looked at Xie Jinyuan with some confusion and said:

"Commander, aren't you leaving?"

Xie Jinyuan turned around and looked towards the foreign concession, saying:

"I cannot disobey orders; I can only obey."

Li Jianghe looked at Xie Jinyuan and could understand.

He wanted to break through the encirclement with Xie Jinyuan, not wanting him to meet that tragic fate.

Heroes should not die in such a humiliating way.

But he also knew that Xie Jinyuan was a stubborn person, and once he made up his mind, it couldn't be changed.

"Okay, I'll go ask the soldiers now."

After Yang Ruifu finished speaking, he went downstairs.

Ten minutes later, the soldiers split into three groups. One-third of them were willing to lay down their weapons and go to the concession, while the remaining two-thirds expressed their willingness to break through the siege with Li Jianghe and Yang Ruifu.

On the other side, Yoshizumi Ryosuke was looking at the orders issued by his superiors.

He said coldly:

"We're about to take over this warehouse, so what does it mean to issue this order now?"

Hiroshi Nakagawa said:

"It was Britain and the United States that intervened. They felt that if we continued this fierce fighting, it might cause unnecessary damage to the concession, so they stepped in to mediate. Headquarters has already..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yoshizumi Ryosuke sneered:

"Headquarters, those idiots, what do they know? In the past few days of fighting, our 9th Division has lost over a thousand soldiers. Why should these fools agree to mediation for the sake of the British and Americans?"

After saying that, he looked at Hiromichi Nakagawa:

"What time did they enter the concession?"

"Ten o'clock at night."

Upon hearing this number, Yoshizumi Ryosuke gave a cold laugh:

"Ten o'clock at night, right?"

After saying that, he looked at the map. The Sihang Warehouse led to the concession by only one road, which was the New Garbage Bridge.

"Concentrate your firepower and aim at this bridge."

"Open fire immediately once the enemy lays down their weapons and enters the bridge!"

Yoshizumi Ryosuke's voice carried a hint of madness.

He was going to disobey orders for the sake of the soldiers who died in the 9th Division.