Introduction:
The most brainy battle of the Japanese army in World War II: the capture of the fortress of Bataan, the smartest 4th Division
At the beginning of 1942, the Pacific War was in full swing. In order to seize the strategic points of the Philippines, the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island, the Japanese army experienced a fierce battle. At first, the Japanese 16th Division suffered heavy losses in its attack. Later, the rumored "Abandoned Division" Osaka 4th Division took over the attack mission. Unexpectedly, this seemingly inconspicuous force actually won a surprising victory, taking the fortified fortress of Bataan at the lowest cost. How did they survive Corregidor's artillery siege and occupy this sea fortress that was said to be able to withstand three years in one fell swoop? What was it about the 4th Division that it was able to show its strength in this difficult battle?
One. Prepared: Meticulous reconnaissance and deployment
Since ancient times, it is not said that if it does not exist, it will be lost. Fighting a war is no exception. If you want to win, it's important to be prepared before you fight. In this regard, the 4th Division has a lot of experience.
When they arrived on the Bataan Peninsula, they did not rush to attack, but immediately set about a comprehensive reconnaissance. At that time, the Bataan Peninsula was heavily armed with five strong defensive lines of allied forces. The scouts of the 4th Division crept into the enemy's positions day and night, surveying the position of every artillery position, fortress, and trench, and drawing a detailed topographic map. At the same time, the distribution of the coalition forces and the number of troops were also detected.
In addition, the topographic surveyors of the 4th Division were not idle. With the help of various means, they could work without interruption even at night, using new rangefinders to calculate the distance between each artillery position and the Japanese position, and even not missing any possible cover or shooting blind spots. All of this data is documented.
With these meticulous reconnaissance efforts, the 4th Division had a clear and comprehensive understanding of the entire battlefield. They quickly judged that the defense line on the left flank of the US army was relatively weak, and at the same time, they also figured out the range and power of the major artillery arrays, so as to make full preparations for the subsequent attack.
At the same time, the 4th Division also carefully deployed a large number of bunkers and overhead fortifications. Experienced veterans let the recruits lay ambushes during the day and frantically build trenches at night. Soon, a series of trenches weaved like cobwebs between the jungles, ready to be used in the event of a sudden mopping out. At the same time, he also chose a hidden location and set up sniper positions in order to harass the enemy at any time.
It was with such meticulous reconnaissance and deployment that the 4th Division was able to control the information of the entire battlefield and became the "home combatant" in this battle. Such adequate preparations have also laid a solid foundation for the next operations.
Two. Contrast: the difference between the 4th Division and the 16th Division
In stark contrast to the cautious style of the 4th Division, the 16th Division, which had previously attacked Bataan. This army was full of enthusiasm as soon as it came up, only brave and resolute, and regarded death as home, but it also suffered a big loss because of it.
At the beginning of the battle, the 16th Division was full of fighting spirit for victory, and without preparation and reconnaissance, it blindly attacked the heavily defended fortress of Bataan. They regard the US defense line as nothing, and they use a small force to hit the big fortifications everywhere, and they do not pay attention to strategy, and the only means is to fight for their lives and exert their strength.
The result can be imagined, under the frantic strafing of snipers and machine gunners of the coalition forces, the men and horses of the 16th Division suffered heavy losses. Again and again, they fought bravely and directly, but in exchange for being wantonly suppressed by the enemy's rock-solid firepower. Soon, the 16th Division fell into a passive predicament, retreating one after another, the two armies were struggling, and the battle situation was at a stalemate.
In contrast to the brutal style of the 16th Division, the 4th Division showed a high degree of caution and wisdom from its arrival on the battlefield. They took comprehensive reconnaissance and careful deployment as the premise of the attack, and would never blindly charge like the 16th Division.
More importantly, the 4th Division completely abandoned the "brave" and "stupid" idea of standing up for battle, but found out the enemy's situation and accurately analyzed the weak links of the US army. They chose the right time to concentrate their forces to attack the empty place on the left flank of the American army, and then broke through and took them by surprise.
At the same time, the 4th Division also flexibly used various terrain features as cover, using infantry chariot armor to advance, and jungle hiding in the jungle waiting for an opportunity to jump out. This repeated flow and pervasiveness finally tore through the defense line of the US army, causing it to flee on all fronts.
It can be said that the 4th Division's "brain-working" combat style in this battle is in stark contrast to the 16th Division's blunt, dull, and brutal single-cell fighting style. It was precisely this clever tactic that enabled the 4th Division to achieve the greatest results with the minimum losses and reap this rare victory.
Three. Surprise Strike: A sudden strike from long-range artillery fire
After the capture of the fortress of Bataan, the Japanese did not stop there, and they quickly turned their attention to the nearby island of Corregidor. Despite its small size, the island is strategically located to guard the entrance to Manila Bay, with strong fortifications and heavy garrisons. Trying to storm obviously won't work.
At this moment, the 4th Division once again displayed its superior resourcefulness. They abandoned the old path of direct attack, and instead launched a surprise strike on the artillery positions on the island with the help of Japanese large-caliber long-range artillery.
1. Innovative ways to overcome material shortages
In fact, for the Japanese army, long-range firepower is indeed a major shortcoming. During World War II, Japan's domestic industrial base was relatively backward, far less abundant than the U.S. military. As a result, the number of large-caliber artillery in the Japanese army was not abundant.
But the 4th Division did not deter from this. They came up with an ingenious method: to concentrate the field artillery, cannons, mortars and other artillery types scattered all over the place to form a powerful long-range firepower cluster to break through the encirclement with concentrated forces.
Soon, large-caliber artillery transferred from all over the country began to assemble on the edge of the Bataan Peninsula. These include the Type 96 150mm long-range cannon, the Type 89 and Type 92 cannons, and the 240mm heavy howitzer. After reorganization, the 4th Division finally had a considerable long-range artillery force.
2. Precision strikes against important targets
Next, the 4th Division began a long-range attack on the Corregidor fortifications. They first deployed the Type 96 150mm long-range cannon, which had the longest range, and fired accurately at the island's 305mm heavy artillery positions from a distance of 20 kilometers, destroying the most threatening heavy guns in one fell swoop.
At that time, because the US troops were trapped on an isolated island, they could not detect the specific location of the Japanese artillery positions at all, so they had no way to return fire, and it was a one-way transparent situation. Soon, the 155-mm howitzer positions at the entrance to Manila Bay, as well as some heavy howitzer positions inland, were also defeated by the targeted shelling of the Japanese army.
Eventually, the Japanese deployed even the longest-range 240-mm heavy howitzers, destroying all the anti-aircraft gun positions on the island in one fell swoop. In this way, the strong fortifications of Corregidor gradually lost all their firepower under the repeated attacks of artillery fire, and they were no longer able to fight back.
3. Use the wit of the right time and place
In addition to using large-caliber artillery to carry out long-range strikes, the 4th Division also took full advantage of favorable opportunities such as terrain and climate. They carefully selected firing angles and bunkers, and with the cooperation of Japanese aviation, made the artillery positions almost invisible; At the same time, it was also chosen to shoot on cloudy and wet days, which lowered the line of sight and avoided detection by the enemy.
A series of carefully planned long-range artillery bombardments paralyzed the otherwise fortified fortress of Corregidor and reduced it to a "dilapidated fortress". The surprise attack of the 4th Division finally cleared the way for the subsequent landing operation.
Four. The Fierce General is in Danger: The Heroic Determination of the Japanese Commander
In this battle to capture Bataan and Corregidor, the 4th Division's wisdom and courage were outstanding, but it was also inseparable from the command and determination of a brave and wise general. He was the division commander of the 4th Division at that time, Major General Hideki Tojo.
Major General Tojo was originally one of the best figures in the Japanese army's "Lu Zuo contemporary", who served in the infantry company of the first class front army in Tokyo, and was familiar with the classics of the soldiers, and was quite strategic. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was ordered to lead the 4th Division to the Philippine battlefield.
Soon, the general, who later became a war criminal, showed his skills in the Battle of Bataan. When the 16th Division's attack was at a stalemate, Hideki Tojo became the commander-in-chief of the attack. Fearless in the face of danger, he personally deployed at the forefront to observe and study the deployment of troops and the terrain of both sides and quickly make adjustments.
It was under the personal command of Major General Tojo that the 4th Division abandoned the brutal style of the 16th Division and instead adopted the elite tactics of reconnaissance and deployment and surprise attack and outflanking. He ordered the artillery to calculate the range and cover range of each artillery array in advance, and to follow closely the cover of the infantry chariots when they suddenly rushed out at night to sweep up, and quickly routed the left flank of the American army.
After that, in order to seize Corregidor Island, Major General Tojo was even more strategic, and repeatedly considered for a long time. He knew that a direct attack was destined to lead to a bloody battle. Therefore, he decided to first use the rare long-range artillery power of the Japanese army to launch an attack on the artillery positions and fortifications of the American army.
After a series of artillery strikes, the artillery fire on the island of Corregidor gradually eclipsed. At this time, Hideki Tojo made a decision again on the spot, personally commanding the infantry at the front line, and suddenly launched a landing. As a result, the Japanese army conquered this so-called "fortress that can withstand a three-year attack" almost without hindrance.
From beginning to end, this brave and warlike general stood at the forefront, and he galloped wherever he was ordered. It was precisely because of the shrewd command and heroic and decisive decision of Major General Hideki Tojo that the 4th Division achieved an unexpectedly brilliant record in this battle. He was known as "the most talented division commander of the Japanese army in World War II", and his name was well deserved.
Five. The wise man outwitted: martial arts reproduce the "martial arts" spirit of the Japanese army
Looking back at the exploits of the 4th Division at Bataan and Koregidor, it is not only impressive that they used excellent tactics, but more importantly, they reflected the sublimation of the Japanese army's "martial spirit". This notorious "wretched division" has reshaped its glory with wisdom.
Since ancient times, Japan samurai have admired the spiritual concept of "martial arts", that is, not only the pursuit of martial arts, but also the cultivation of wisdom. Blindly fighting hard is commendable, but if there is no wisdom and guidance, it will eventually be defeated. As the so-called "Fu Zhi Fu Yong", both force and wisdom can be used to achieve the true way of martial arts.
The performance of the 4th Division is the best interpretation of this concept. In the cautious preparation before the war and the strategic planning during the war, they all demonstrated their superb military wisdom. They did not act blindly and brutally like the 16th Division, but controlled the whole picture of the battlefield with meticulous reconnaissance and calculation; They were able to take advantage of the situation and find and break through the enemy's weak points.
More importantly, the 4th Division also creatively used the limited long-range firepower of the Japanese army, skillfully avoided the passive situation of frontal charge, preemptively destroyed the enemy's firepower points, and won the initiative. Such a flexible and resourceful response not only brought the limited strength of the Japanese army to the extreme, but also put the enemy in a helpless situation.
It can be said that Zhiyong Shuangquan is what makes the 4th Division amazing. They not only possessed the combat courage of high morale, but also possessed the military wisdom of making decisions and being calm and calm, thus recreating the glory of the Japanese army's "martial arts."
Once upon a time, the 4th Division was also regarded by others as a helpless and helpless "wretched division". However, in Bataan and Corregidor, their performances made the world realize how valuable the samurai spirit of the Japanese army was that they valued both "bravery" and "wisdom". It was this "martial spirit" that enabled the 4th Division to achieve remarkable results in this difficult battle, and also allowed the Japanese army to regain its prestige on the battlefield.