During the Battle of Tower Hill in 1948, there was an unforgettable scene. At that time, Jiang Jun launched an intensive charge, and this scene has been highlighted in some film and television works. Watching those veterans line up and sprint towards the enemy position, with dense artillery fire behind them and machine gun fire in front of them, is really heart-pounding and terrifying. In the movie, such a scene looks spectacular, but in reality, such a charge is almost equivalent to suicide.
In today's situation, most people will probably shake their heads in confusion when faced with this tactic. Combat is not cinematic spectacle, and on today's battlefield, tight charges are more like a trap for self-destruction. Imagine a large number of soldiers rushing forward in close proximity in an open field, and how many survived when the fire poured down. This is not only a taboo tactic, but also an extreme disrespect for the lives of soldiers. War is cruel enough, and we should no longer allow meaningless sacrifices to occur. Such tactics now seem unwise and undesirable. Modern warfare requires more refined and effective tactics, rather than needless charges. For the warriors, survival is the most important thing. We should value their lives and look for smarter ways to fight.
【01】
In the movie "Liaoshen Campaign", the description of the Tashan Resistance Battle is impressive. The film shows the dense charge of Chiang's soldiers, although the picture is shocking, but it is more of an element of artistic processing. The real battlefield situation is far more complicated than in the movie. The defenders of Tower Hill were exhausted after many days of fierce fighting, and the damage to their positions was very serious. Although Chiang's offensive looked fierce, their neat phalanx was more of a symbolic display. Overall, the actual situation of this battle is far more complex and real than it is presented in the movie.
Wu Kehua described that the 4th Column faced an extremely fierce and ruthless attack by Chiang's army. Their team was not an ordinary army, but a stormtrooper armed with submachine guns and light machine guns, armed to the teeth. Their attack was not a monotonous march of large armies, but a frequent wave of fierce attacks. The officers at the front of the line were of extraordinary courage, as if they had been battle-hardened and fearless, and they led the ranks into the enemy's positions with unimaginable intensity. They even used the corpses of their enemies as cover, further demonstrating their ferocity and cruelty. In general, Chiang's offensive was more practical and brutal.
Roach's description of the offensive also shows Chiang's strategic arrangement. He suggested that the 95th Division continue to play with their fine traditions and honors and adopt wave after wave of shock tactics. This tactic means that new teams are constantly charging, and if the previous one fails, the next team immediately takes over, giving the enemy no respite. Such a strategy is to gain an advantage on the battlefield and ensure the continuity and efficiency of the attack.
Although Chiang's army launched a strong attack, their strategy was not simply a brainless charge. In real-life combat, their stormtroopers will skillfully use a variety of cover to protect themselves, and will even use corpses to build temporary protection. This practice may seem shocking in the movies, but in actual combat, it's an instinctive reaction to survive. This also meant that it was very difficult to defeat such a charge in one fell swoop with dense machine-gun fire alone. They know how to defend themselves in real combat and will use all available resources to strengthen their defenses.
The scene of Chiang's army charging shown in the film is shocking enough, but the brutality of the actual battle is even more serious. In real history, the fierce attack of the 95th Independent Division cost us a heavy price, and a total of 1,048 comrades died bravely. This figure is rare in the Battle of Tower Hill, accounting for about one-third of our total losses. The actual blow is far more ferocious than what is shown in the movie.
Although Chiang's forces displayed a powerful attack that day, their all-out charge was actually a double-edged sword, as such an impact would also cost them a lot. If this tactic is used for a long time, they will not be able to sustain it. Most of their forces were engaged in front-line fighting, and if we could have blocked their backup supply lines with precision and quickly put in reserves for a counterattack, Chiang's great sacrifice could have become meaningless. While this tactic may seem powerful, their attrition can also make it difficult for them to last. If we can find the right moment to cut off their rear with artillery fire, then their efforts may be in vain. Such a strategy is undoubtedly a huge challenge for them.
Although this strategy can briefly break through our forward positions, it is not easy to win the entire war in this way.
【02】
Chiang's 95th Division really fought hard, and the attack that day was like a desperate effort, and we suffered a lot. On that day, a fierce battle broke out between our two sides, with flames and smoke everywhere. It was a lot of pressure, but we were able to crush them with a brilliant counter-attack.
The independent 95th Division, led by Division Commander Zhu Zhiyi, experienced a thrilling battle after the war. He recalled that when their troops rushed forward, they were hit by heavy fire and could barely raise their heads. This was the first time they had encountered such a tragic scene in northern China. The intensity of the battle was unprecedented, highlighting the brutality of the Battle of Tower Hill. It can be said that the battle on that day left a deep impression on them, and some of them even suffered a psychological shock as a result. The fierceness and brutality of the Battle of Tower Hill made people feel that the battle was not easy.
Chiang's forces were able to take such aggressive action mainly because of their geographical advantage. The positions of the two armies were quite close to each other, no more than a kilometer at the farthest, and only a few dozen meters at the closest. Chiang's army skillfully used some small heights as cover and quietly gathered forces. Once they charge, they will be able to rush in front of us in a short time. Under the cover of artillery fire, they charged in dense formations, and although they suffered heavy casualties, this tactic did allow them to quickly reach the forward position and engage in hand-to-hand combat. This is due to the proximity of their positions, which makes their movements much easier.
【03】
In the Tashan battlefield, the fourth column of Higashino was a very powerful force. Their soldiers are carefully selected and equipped with advanced equipment. They also skillfully built complex fortifications and received a large amount of artillery support. Although Chiang's army launched a fierce attack at the beginning, their strategy of relying on a large number of troops to attack wave after wave was actually more like a gamble. They hope to break through quickly when our army is shaken, and then devote more forces to expand the results of the battle. But the fighters of the fourth column were brave and fearless, and their fortifications and artillery support allowed them to effectively resist the enemy's attack.
However, the soldiers of the fourth column showed a tenacious spirit of resistance. Relying on the cover of field fortifications and artillery fire, Chiang's army failed to achieve a decisive victory in the initial fierce offensive. As the fighting continued, Chiang's army had a gradual decline in the number of senior officers and experienced soldiers, and morale gradually declined. From 14 October onwards, although Chiang's forces continued to launch heavy attacks and night raids, their threat to our forces had been significantly reduced. In such a continuous battle, Chiang's army gradually lost its advantage.
After the liberation of Jinzhou, Chiang's eastward march corps temporarily halted their pace. Although they were very fierce in the Battle of Tower Hill, especially the 95th Independent Division showed strong attack capabilities, their efforts did not change the basic situation of the entire battle. Their initial onslaught could not be sustained, which also revealed the fact that it was not easy to maintain a sustained investment of manpower, material resources and a strong fighting spirit in a highly intense battle. Although they showed a lot of resistance in Tower Hill, they could not change the overall situation of the war.
【04】
According to the recollection of the senior general of the Eastern Advance Corps, after the battle, the three regiments of this division suffered heavy losses, and in the end only about four battalions remained. Among them, almost all the company-platoon cadres of the 283rd and 284th regiments were killed, and the situation of the 285th regiment was slightly better, but the personnel of the entire division could only be reduced to the size of four battalions. Compared with other units, although the provisional 62nd Division also suffered losses, it was originally a supplementary force, and its losses were relatively small. The 95th Independent Division, in terms of overall strength and the degree of losses, undoubtedly suffered the most serious blow.
During the fighting, the 95th Separate Division suffered serious losses in armament. According to the supply list submitted by Roach after the war, the division lost a large number of weapons, including 500 rifles, 100 light machine guns, 30 heavy machine guns, 300 submachine guns, 114 carbines, 50 flare guns, as well as 80 gun grenades and 50 82-mm mortars. This list not only reflects the division's pre-war firepower and equipment, but also highlights the urgent need for large-scale weapons replenishment after the war.
As a field commander, Roach witnessed the heavy losses of his cronies' troops, and his feelings were undoubtedly very complicated. In his report to Chiang Kai-shek, he criticized the 54th Army's inadequate reconnaissance work and the 62nd Army's unsatisfactory offensive results. In this way he tried to find some justification for the heavy losses of the 95th Division. Although such internal criticism and blame is just a way for him to comfort himself, we must also admit that the 95th Division has paid an extremely heavy price on the battlefield. The embarrassing situation that Roach faced was obvious, and his face was naturally affected. However, the harsh realities of war also forced us to accept such an outcome. In war, both the military and the individual can face huge losses and difficulties. We must face these challenges with a calm attitude and learn from them in order to better prepare for future wars. Overall, the defeat in this battle is a very disappointing and heavy blow, but we also need to keep a clear head, face and analyze the causes of the problem in order to better cope with similar challenges in the future.