GBP Chapter 316 Burning Flame
Chapter 316 Burning Flame
Upon receiving the news that the US military had encountered difficulties in the landing operation, Yang Hong ordered the landing troops to continue to advance, and at the same time ordered the 112th and 113th Army Aviation helicopters to be withdrawn to support the US military.
The commander-in-chief of the landing operation was Field Marshal Mountbatten, who was also the commander-in-chief of the Allied Army. Mountbatten immediately called together the main generals of the landing operation to discuss the next action plan.
Yang Hong pointed to the map and said, "Marshal, generals, I think relying on just three landing points is not enough. The Omaha landing has been blocked. Relying on Sword and Juno Beaches to break through the German depth and cut off German support is not enough. I think we should immediately expand the landing points and take advantage of the German chaos to launch a surprise landing on Utah and Gold Beaches!"
"Since the predicted storm didn't arrive, it's very beneficial for these two areas to make landfall, and it will also alleviate the difficulties in Omaha."
Mountbatten and Montgomery, the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of the landing operations, quickly analyzed the map and the situation. Montgomery hesitated and said, "The reserve force is only the 4th Canadian Army, which is not enough to open two landing sites."
"I can transfer the 113th Army to capture the Utah landing point, and the Canadian 4th Army can fully attack Gold Beach. At the same time, General Nimitz should be notified that the second batch of army troops can board the ship." Yang Hong immediately added.
Mountbatten thought for a moment and immediately agreed with Yang Hong's suggestion. He said to the naval frontline commander, US Admiral Wallace: "Admiral, please coordinate the formation immediately, quickly!"
Yang Hong interrupted again and said, "General Wallace, the naval helicopter forces should assemble. The landing on Utah needs to be quick. The special operations regiment directly under the 5th Army Group should immediately appear behind Utah Beach."
"Marshal Mountbatten, the Canadian forces can take action after the Utah landing begins. This way, the German army will not be able to distinguish the focus of our landing and our ultimate goal, which will give other forces more opportunities."
Mountbatten understood what Yang Hong meant and nodded in agreement, signaling Montgomery and Wallace to act according to Yang Hong's advice. He added: "Gentlemen, time is everything. Support for Omaha must also be strengthened."
Yang Hong interrupted again, "Marshal, I think we should have the American troops in Omaha pretend to evacuate, and then organize another attack to catch the Germans off guard."
General Douglas, the US commander, asked in confusion: "Why?"
Yang Hong calmly replied, "If we withdraw after receiving support, the Germans will surely think we have given up on the landing. The focus is on the landing point that has already been broken through. The German support forces will surely turn to other landing points. If we suddenly land at this time, the enemy will inevitably be distracted."
Yang Hong continued, "This is the most crucial point. Once Omaha successfully lands, they can quickly occupy this area, press Saint Man Igris, and seize the Pegasus Bridge. This will be of decisive significance to the entire battle situation."
Mountbatten certainly knew this, and that was the significance of choosing the Omaha landing site. However, the US Omaha landing was blocked, disrupting the entire landing plan. Yang Hong's tactic of feinting and bluffing really caught everyone's attention.
Mountbatten glanced at General Waldogus and was very hesitant. Evacuating from Omaha and then attacking would obviously mean greater losses for the US military. Once the German army discovered the plan, the US military would suffer a fatal blow if it forced a second landing.
Douglas saw Mountbatten's hesitation and said calmly, "General, the battlefield is ever-changing. War is a risky endeavor. I agree with General Yang."
Since the American commander agreed and was not afraid of sacrifice, Mountbatten had a plan in mind. He said to General Wallace in a deep voice: "Organize the navy to fully support the retreat of Omaha. Order all warships to concentrate their firepower in two hours and blow the Omaha beach position to pieces!"
On Utah Beach, after a burst of naval gunfire, more than 100 H-1 series attack helicopters roared in, and a large number of rockets flew towards the German fortresses and fortifications. The German army had never expected that the Allies would open up a new landing point again. Part of the troops in the Utah area were being transferred to the nearby Sword Beach. The sudden attack by the Allies caught the German army off guard.
A part of the helicopter force broke through the German defense line and rushed directly into the depth of the German army. A group of Allied air forces also appeared again and carried out large-scale mixed bombing on the German troops in the depth of Utah. Transport planes dropped the special operations regiment directly under the 5th Army Group. Their purpose was very clear, to capture the town of Contaverosi and cut off the German reinforcements to Utah.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" An H-1B helicopter fired three rockets at a cluster of bunkers. These rockets, as instructed by Yang Hong, were all incendiary. Huge flames immediately erupted from the perimeter of the bunkers, engulfing them and the surrounding shelters and trenches. Then, another H-1B approached and fired another round of rockets at the bunkers.
Dozens of helicopter gunships attacked relentlessly, especially the H-1A cannons, which continuously pounded ground targets, preventing the Germans from organizing effective air defenses. The Germans were completely unaware of the devastating impact these slow-flying, low-altitude, hovering aircraft could inflict. Many soldiers were pinned down in bunkers and shelters, enduring the ravages of flames. The cramped space, the suffocating, despair-filled atmosphere, drove the soldiers mad.
Under such pressure, the German coastal defenses were quickly unable to mount an effective resistance. The 113th Division of the 204th Army seized the beachhead in a single attack. The 113th Army commander immediately ordered his mechanized troops to follow suit. Within 40 minutes, the entire Utah Beach was filled with burning German bunkers and a stream of Chinese assault vehicles. Major General Mathieuvici, the German division commander in charge of the defense, shot himself in despair. The remaining German troops, led by a colonel, raised the white flag, ending their futile resistance.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" A lieutenant colonel regiment commander kept urging the armored troops to advance. At this time, the special operations regiment had airdropped into the town of Contaverosi and was fighting fiercely with the defending German army. The nearby commanders of the German front had already learned that Utah Beach had been suddenly breached. A reinforced regiment of German mechanized troops was coming quickly. They had to defend Contaverosi to the death and stop the Chinese army's advance.
Boom! A grenade exploded near a small church building outside the town. This was the attack from a concealed German 152mm howitzer position. While the Special Operations Regiment was highly skilled and adept at assault warfare, it lacked heavy firepower, and the enemy's heavy artillery was a deadly threat. One assault team quickly set up a six-barrel 6mm rocket launcher and rapidly bombarded a German machine gun position inside the town. …