40

Shijiazhuang is not as famous as later generations. To be precise, it is not even called Shijiazhuang, but it is called Shimen to the outside world.

Although this place is not famous, its location is very important.

Almost all railways heading south from Beiping pass here. Since the Japanese occupied this place, Shimen has gradually become a material transfer base for the Japanese army to go south and north.

The Mongolian Army arranged an infantry gang to protect the safety of Shimen. In addition, the puppet army cooperated with the defense, the total force of the Shimen Army directly exceeded 6,000.

Not only that, there is a mixed brigade stationed in Jingxing area less than 40 kilometers away from the stone gate. If the stone gate is attacked, the mixed brigade can reach the stone gate within six hours.

There are heavy troops defending the inside and heavy troops on the outside, which has caused the Shimen to not be attacked in the past few years.

Except for the Eighth Route Army guerrillas who come to fight Qiufeng from time to time, there is no Chinese army around that can threaten the security of Shimen.

The real raid target that Zhou Cheng had been hiding happened to choose here.

As a logistics transit base for the Japanese army to go south and north, Shimen not only stocked a large amount of military supplies, but also stored a lot of food, weapons and ammunition urgently needed by the national rescue army.

If the National Salvation Army could take down the Shimen and seize all the materials that the Japanese army had in the Shimen, not only would the ten independent battalions no longer lack weapons, but they might also seize a large number of unequipped treasures of the National Salvation Army.

But the stone gate was not something that Zhou Cheng could take down just as he wanted.

It is easy to say that more than 6,000 troops garrison in the city. With the current strength and artillery strength of the National Salvation Army, it is easy to cover the troops into the county town.

What made Zhou Cheng most worried was the Japanese army stationed in Jingxing. They were very close to Shimen. If they marched quickly, the vanguard troops would be able to reach outside Shimen City in a few hours.

That is the elite of the 8,000 Japanese army. Once the siege troops are dragged on the battlefield by them, and when the Japanese and puppet troops who are farther away arrive at the battlefield, no matter how powerful the national rescue army is, they will never escape.

Moreover, the National Salvation Army attacked Shimen to seize the materials that the Japanese army had existed in Shimen. According to his estimate, five thousand large trucks may not be able to be transported, and it will definitely take a lot of time.

This means that the National Salvation Army not only needs to attack the Shimen and divide its troops against the Mixed Brigade stationed in Jingxing, but also find ways to hold them back and not give them a chance to reinforce the Shimen. It also needs to block other troops from reinforce the Shimen, especially the Japanese from Taiyuan.

Although they were far away from the stone gate, they could transport troops by railway, and they had a large number of troops. They could easily draw a brigade to reinforce the stone gate.

Therefore, the reinforcements that Taiyuan might send to Shimen are also a huge threat.

After all, if the National Salvation Army wants to seize the Shimen and seize the materials and ammunition of the Japanese troops in the Shimen, the Japanese puppet army that they need to face directly is likely to exceed 30,000, and the battles against them are all in the enemy-occupied areas, which has almost no advantage for the National Salvation Army.

Although the total strength of the National Salvation Army soared to more than 20,000 people, and there was a heavy artillery battalion comparable to that of the artillery regiment, it was still quite a bit short of the time to fight so many Japanese and puppet troops in one battle.

Zhou Cheng still has this kind of self-knowledge.

But the stone gate had to be taken down again, and Zhou Cheng had to recruit the national rescue army to break the deadlock, which led to the orders that the intelligence department would focus on Taiyuan and Jinzhong.

But the overall strength of the Japanese and puppet troops was there. No matter how Zhou Cheng wanted to recruit, it would be futile in the face of absolute strength. So Zhou Cheng decided to pull the Eighth Route Army in and ask them to help hold up thousands of Japanese devils, so that he would have enough troops to attack Shimen and hold up the Mixed Brigade from Jingxing!

In the division command center located deep in the Taihang Mountains, the division leaders are worried about the increasingly scarce food problem in the base area.

Faced with the increasingly severe drought, the base areas continued to lack income. Even if the soldiers survived coarse grain every day, the limited grain could not support so many troops and local cadres in the base areas.

Under this situation, the head of the headquarters proposed the idea of ​​simplifying the military and simplifying administration and self-sufficiency.

The division headquarters strictly implemented the orders and laid off tens of thousands of people in just a few months, greatly reducing the grain pressure in the base area.

Not only that, the troops also reclaim wasteland at their own garrisons, plant grain after the spring plowing begins next year, and further reduce the burden on the people in the base area through self-producing grain.

But far-reaching water cannot quench near thirst, and spring plowing has not yet begun. If you want to eat your own food, you have to wait until half a year later.

In this case, the troops in the base area can only eat one meal, one full meal, eat more wild vegetables and eat less food, so as to solve the problem of insufficient food.

But doing so brings another problem to the base area.

Because they are not full, the food is not nutritious, and there is less salt, the soldiers' physical strength has dropped sharply. Some soldiers with slightly poor physical strength have even been bedridden, which seriously affects the combat effectiveness of the troops.

Guerrilla warfare and mobile warfare were originally the best tactics of the National Salvation Army, but in a battle a few days ago, the Eighth Route Army was defeated by the Japanese and puppet troops.

After analysis, we concluded that it was not that the tactics and tactics of the participating troops were used incorrectly, but because the participating troops were not full and their physical strength was not as good as before, they were caught up by the Japanese during their retreat and transfer, and then caught off guard and suffered heavy losses.

This battle made the division leader realize that the base area could no longer reduce the rations of combat troops, and he also needed to find ways to increase some rations to make them full and restore their combat effectiveness.

But a good woman can't cook without rice. There is no food in the base area, so no matter how many plans they plan, they will be fantasy.

"Teacher Commander, only the Japanese have food in their hands now, and they don't have much food in their hands. If you want to get a large amount of food, you can only find a way from the large Japanese and puppet army strongholds and logistics warehouses!" The political commissar frowned and analyzed.

No one knows the situation of the Japanese and puppet troops around the base area better than the division commander.

As soon as the political commissar finished speaking, his eyes focused on the stone gate on the map!

The Chief of Staff saw the division commander's thoughts at a glance. Although he wanted to capture the Shimen, he showed a helpless expression when he thought of the garrison of the Shimen. Then he shook his head to remind the division commander: "Teacher Commander, I know that the Japanese have reserved a large amount of supplies, weapons and ammunition in the Shimen. If we take down the Shimen, the problem of food shortage in the base area will be solved!"

"But the defense of Shimen is too strict, with more than 6,000 troops stationed. There is also a mixed brigade within 40 kilometers to reinforce Shimen at any time!"

"Our troops lack experience in attacking and are dispersed. In addition, the lack of food has led to further weakening of the combat effectiveness of the troops, so it is almost impossible to chew this hard bone."

"I think we're more practical. Choose a few strongholds to fight and seize as much as the grain you can. Although mosquitoes are small, they are also meat, which is better than not.

The division commander looked reluctant, but nodded helplessly, searching for small and medium-sized strongholds around the base area that might have been captured by the troops.

At this moment, a "report..." interrupted the thoughts of the three people, and then he saw the guard company commander hurried towards them!

"Chief, is General Zheng back?"

"Which Staff General Zheng?" the chief of staff frowned and asked. He was the person who knew the situation of the General Staff General. In his memory, there was no one named Zheng among all the staff officers in the division headquarters.

The guard company commander continued to report: "It was Staff Zheng who was in charge of intelligence before. He hadn't seen it for a long time. He suddenly appeared at the entrance of the village and said that he would meet the leader and report something very important!"

The political commissar knew the situation of the National Rescue Army best. As soon as the guard company commander introduced him, he thought of his current identity and immediately explained to the division commander: "It's Zheng Yunshan. He returned to the division headquarters in person. Either the National Rescue Army made big moves or something big happened to the National Rescue Army!"

"Take him to the division headquarters immediately, but be sure to keep it confidential. It is best to bring him over as an ordinary soldier!"

After listening to the political commissar's explanation, the division commander also thought of Zheng Yunshan's current identity.

Today, the National Salvation Army has developed into a military force that cannot be underestimated, and the division headquarters has long regarded them as a main force. After deducing that something big will happen to the National Salvation Army, the division commander was particularly interested in knowing whether this big event was good or bad, and he was completely unwilling to study how the troops were making food.

"Hello, leaders, I'm back!" Zheng Yunshan first saluted the division commander after entering the war room, and then reported.

"The leader asked me to go back to the division headquarters to report something in person, because this matter is too important and has too much to do with it, so there must be no mistakes. This is why I asked me to go back to the division headquarters!"

"It's more steady than before, and it looks like a regiment-level cadre. It seems that the decision to let you go to the National Rescue Army to be the deputy regiment commander!" The political commissar had met Zheng Yunshan several times. When he saw him again today, he felt like he was like not seeing him for a day and was very satisfied with his answer.

Zheng Yunshan was very excited. Being praised by the division commander showed that he had indeed made progress in the National Salvation Army. He quickly replied: "I have indeed learned a lot from the National Salvation Army. Although the regiment commander is young, he is experienced and knows more things than me."

"I only realized that I was a frog in the well when I arrived at the National Salvation Army, and there were too many things to learn!"

The political commissar nodded, not intending to continue on this topic, but went back to the point, asking seriously: "Is it a major event for the National Saving Army? Otherwise, with Zhou Cheng's personality, you will definitely not risk your life to return to the division headquarters!"

Zheng Yunshan glanced at the busy staff around him and replied: "Chief, the matter I want to report next is too big and needs to be kept absolutely confidential. Can you find a place where no one will report it?

The division commander and the political commissar looked at each other and saw the seriousness and tension in each other's eyes.

Finally, the teacher made a decision and nodded and ordered: "Then go to my room to report!"

"The guard company is responsible for the guard. No one is allowed to appear within 30 meters of the room, otherwise military law will be carried out!"

After everything was arranged, the cautious expression on Zheng Yunshan's face calmed down: "Chief, this is the situation. Our regiment commander wants to hit the stone gate, and hopes that the division commander can send troops to support him."

Hearing the words "Shimen", the commander's eyes suddenly lit up. He was both excited and nervous. He stared at Zheng Yunshan and asked back, "How confident are you!"

"Shimen is different from the county town you have conquered before. If you are not careful, you may lose all the money!"

Zheng Yunshan replied confidently: "Please rest assured, the leader. Our regiment commander said that as long as the division commander agrees to support us, the National Salvation Army will be sure to capture Shimen and seize all the food and supplies reserved by the Japanese and puppet troops in Shimen!"

The commander did not answer the conversation and stared at Zheng Yunshan and continued to ask: "This is not a joke."

"The Shimen garrison plus the troops that may reinforce Shimen, we must face more than 30,000 Japanese and puppet troops, and most of them are Japanese devils!"

"If there is no careful action plan, even if we cooperate at all costs, you will not be able to win the stone gate!"

Zheng Yunshan's face also became particularly serious. He faced the scrutiny look of the division commander looking at him and replied seriously: "Please rest assured, our regiment commander will not joke with everyone about the war."

"Before he came, he had already told me about his general idea. The entire battle was divided into two steps, and it was all about attacking the east and west."

"The National Salvation Army first takes down Jinzhong County and then takes the stance of attacking Taiyuan City. At that time, our regiment commander hopes to get support from all the Eighth Route Army troops around Taiyuan, and join us in attacking Taiyuan, strengthen our momentum, forcing the Japanese and puppet troops in Taiyuan City to take care of themselves and have no way to send troops to reinforce other battlefields."

"When the Japanese and puppet troops' attention was all attracted to Taiyuan City, the main force of the National Salvation Army took the opportunity to break out of the defense zone and pointed directly at Jingxing Coal Mine. He fought a battle with the Japanese in Jingxing Coal Mine, which severely damaged the Japanese army's mixed brigade stationed in Jingxing!"

"In this way, the gaze of the Shimen garrison will definitely be attracted to Jingxing Coal Mine, and even send troops to reinforce Jingxing Coal Mine."

"At this time, the main force of the National Salvation Army took the opportunity to turn, headed straight to the Shimen, took the Shimen as fast as possible, and transferred and seized it."

"This battle requires the Eighth Route Army to help block other Japanese and puppet troops who reinforced Shimen, and give us two days to transfer and seize!"

"The National Salvation Army is responsible for the mixed brigade sent by Jingxing!"

The commander stared at the map and gradually deduced Zheng Yunshan’s report just now.

Five minutes later, the serious expression on his face slowly sootheed.

Ten minutes later, the serious expression on his face completely disappeared, the corners of his mouth also raised, and a smile from the heart flashed.

Then he raised his head and looked at Zheng Yunshan and replied: "Comrade Zhou Cheng has a very good idea. He not only used the method of fighting to attack the east, but also used the trick to get rid of the strength of the Japanese and puppet troops around him, so that they had no troops to reinforce the Shimen and then attacked Shimen!"

"At that time, the Japanese army will find that they have been fooled, so they can only watch the Shimen being taken down by the National Salvation Army. If they want to send troops to reinforce, there is no force to send!"

"You go back and tell Zhou Cheng that we agree with his plan to attack Shimen. Except for the Taiyuan garrison, Jingxing garrison, Shimen garrison, all the Japanese and puppet troops in other places were handed over to the Eighth Route Army to clean up to ensure that the siege troops have enough time to transfer and seize!"

"But I also have a requirement: after taking down Shimen, the Japanese army must share some of the food reserved by us!"

Zheng Yunshan agreed without hesitation: "Please rest assured, our regiment commander said that after taking down the Shimen, we only need 20% of the food, half of the light weapons, 30% of the military supplies, 70% of the heavy weapons and supporting ammunition, and all the remaining food and military supplies support the Eighth Route Army!"

Hearing this, the smile on the division commander's face became stronger, and he looked at the political commissar and replied: "I didn't expect that an action plan of your National Salvation Army would actually solve the urgent needs of our base!"

"Political Commissar, with Comrade Zhou Cheng's promise to us, the grain pressure in the base area should be able to alleviate a lot!"

The political commissar also smiled and replied with great certainty: "Don't worry, the Japanese reserved more than five million kilograms of grain in Shimen, which is enough to solve our food shortage!"
Chapter completed!