The Japanese charge faltered almost immediately. The barbed wire, which had funneled them into narrow, exposed paths, left them with nowhere to hide. Bodies piled up as soldiers fell in droves, their comrades tripping over them in their desperate attempt to press forward.
"Reload and hold your positions!" Kondratenko barked. His men followed his orders with precision, swapping out barrels and feeding fresh belts of ammunition into the guns with practiced ease.
Despite the overwhelming firepower, the Japanese soldiers refused to retreat. Officers waved their swords, urging their men forward into the grinder. Waves of infantry poured into the kill zone, only to be mowed down in seconds.
Kondratenko's voice cut through the chaos. "Shift fire to the flanks! Pin them against the wire!"
