Chapter 1338： Rout (ask for a monthly ticket)

"Order all troops to defend well. Deploy anti-tank weapons and prepare to resist the German attack!" Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo ordered.

"The hundreds of tanks and armored vehicles of the Germans are probably not so easy to resist!" Lieutenant General Honda frowned.

"Honta-san, under such circumstances, we can only hope that we can resist the German attack. Otherwise, the consequences will be very serious. As for retreat, it is even more impossible. Once we retreat, we will Being followed by the Germans. In the end, it will inevitably turn into a rout." Lieutenant General Shozo Sakurai said.

Lieutenant General Benta nodded. He also knew that once the troops were defeated, the consequences would be even more unimaginable. At that time, all their troops will be easily divided and surrounded by the Germans, and then wiped out.

"Sakurai-kun, I'm going back there to sit in charge. No matter what, I have to find a way to persevere!" Lieutenant General Honda Masai said.

"Okay, Honda-kun. I hope God Amaterasu can bless us." Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo sighed.

Lieutenant General Benta didn't say much, turned around and left. Now that the situation is urgent, he must gather his troops as soon as possible, hoping to resist the German attack in the next battle.

The troops commanded by Lieutenant General Benta include the remnants of the 18th Division and the 56th Division under the former 33rd Army, as well as the 49th Division, the 53rd Division and the independent mixed 105th Brigade. However, in the battle to attack Kinabatangan, the 49th Division and the 53rd Division suffered heavy losses. This made him have no confidence in resisting the German attack.

Similarly, Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo is also gathering troops. The 31st Division was fiercely attacked by the German army, and it was obviously a disaster. Therefore, the only troops he can count on are the remnants of the 2nd Division and the 54th Division under the 28th Army, and the 55th Division and the 33rd Division that arrived on the battlefield later. Moreover, the 33rd Division also suffered a lot of losses in the attack on Kinabatangan. Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo did not know whether they could withstand the attack of the German armored forces.

The demise of the 31st Division of the Island Army was faster than Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo and Lieutenant General Honda Masai had expected. Although the 31st Division suffered a lot of losses in the previous battles, there are still tens of thousands of people. They thought that the 31st Division could last at least three or four hours, giving them enough time to prepare.

But in fact, in less than two hours, the main force of the 31st Division was wiped out by the German armored forces. Lieutenant General Kotoku Sato, head of the division, committed seppuku. Only a small number of troops managed to escape.

After the 31st Division of the Japanese Army was eliminated, the German army was divided into two groups. The 23rd Armored Division was divided into two parts, leading the 221st Mechanized Infantry Division and the 222nd Mechanized Infantry Division to attack the enemy in the north and south of Kinabatangan.

Though, these armor forces are split in two. However, it still has a very strong assault capability. At least, it is undoubtedly very difficult for the island army, which lacks armored weapons and anti-armored weapons, to resist the attack of the German armored forces.

The battle soon continued. More than two hundred tanks led a large number of armored vehicles to attack the position of the 33rd Division of the Japanese Army. Although the Third Lieutenant General Sakurai has ordered the remnants of the 2nd Division and the 54th Division to also join the battle, strengthening the strength of the position. However, in the face of the German armored offensive, the island army fought back desperately, but the effect was very small.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The anti-tank guns of the island army fired. Under the control of the soldiers, these 37mm anti-tank guns accurately hit the moving tanks.

However, the following results left them dumbfounded. Because the tank that was hit only paused for a while, and then continued to move forward.

"Baga! How could this be? Can't our anti-tank guns penetrate German tanks?" An army officer of an island country looked shocked.

The other officers and soldiers suddenly didn't know what to do. Some people even felt their legs go weak from fright. Even anti-tank guns can't deal with German tanks, there is no way to go on this battle.

You must know that in order to guard against the anti-tank firepower of the Japanese army, the German armored forces deliberately put the rough-skinned and thick-skinned "Tiger" tanks at the forefront when attacking. At a long distance, small-caliber anti-tank guns simply cannot penetrate the thick armor of the 'Tiger' tank. Unless it is very close, it is possible to be penetrated.

The anti-tank guns of the island army fired, not only did not achieve any results, but exposed themselves, which immediately attracted a burst of German tanks.

Shells fell from the sky one by one, covering all the anti-tank firepower of the island army. These anti-tank firepower points were pulled out one by one by German tanks.

Without the threat of these anti-tank firepower points, the advancing speed of the German armored forces will naturally be faster.

"Da da da!"

When the German tanks broke through the defense line of the island country army and the machine guns began to roar, the massacre had already begun.

The German armored forces that rushed into the island country's army defense line went on a rampage, using tank guns, machine guns, and even tracks to wantonly massacre the islanders.

Countless soldiers of the island nation don't know what to do in the face of such a fighting method? After watching their comrades fall one after another, they finally couldn't take it anymore.

So, some people dropped their weapons, turned around and fled.

The power of role models is infinite, if one person runs away, others will follow suit immediately.

This quickly caused the island army to flee. A large number of soldiers from the island nation turned around and fled regardless of the officer's scolding. They have been frightened by the German armored forces, and they have no courage to continue fighting.

When Third Lieutenant General Sakurai learned that the frontline troops were fleeing, his whole body was like a thunderbolt. He originally thought that the troops on the front line would be able to hold on for a while no matter what. But I didn't expect that their performance would be so vulnerable.

With no alternative, Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo had no choice but to order a retreat. The 55th Division of the Japanese Army, which suffered almost no losses, immediately began to retreat. However, under the pursuit of the German armored forces, how could they escape? After being caught up, the retreat immediately turned into a rout.

At the same time, the troops commanded by Lieutenant General Honda Honda also failed to withstand the German attack. If there is no other way, they can only flee all the way to Lahad Datu.