At this time, both sides are risking their lives.
The old Japanese soldier Uchida Nobu did not hesitate to "go deep alone" and used his vanguard Kwantung Army brigade to completely hold back the main force of the Fourth Independent Regiment.
Waiting for the follow-up raids, the main force will besiege the Fourth Independent Regiment on the north bank of the Yellow River in one fell swoop, and then wipe them all out.
This Japanese colonel has full confidence in his troops.
In his opinion, the level of firepower, equipment level, and combat effectiveness displayed by the Eighth Route Army troops in this battle.
It is definitely not enough to defeat his Kwantung Army brigade before mopping up the main reinforcements.
As for the destruction of the Uchida Brigade.
That is a fantasy.
The Fourth Independent Regiment ranges from the regiment leader Wang Huaibao down to the grassroots company and platoon leaders.
They are all filled with anger because of the tragic scenes that happened in Bingtun Village.
Cadres at all levels of the Fourth Regiment, represented by the commander of the Fourth Regiment, Wang Huaibao, therefore made up their minds to pay for the blood debt with blood - to destroy the Japanese vanguard force, the Uchida Brigade of the Japanese Kwantung Army.
To this end, Wang Huaibao has made sufficient preparations in all aspects.
Both sides continued their battle plans with full confidence.
The situation evolved and advanced accordingly.
Half an hour later, under the strong attack order issued by Uchida Shinya.
The Kwantung Army, whose combat effectiveness is indeed stronger than the Japanese troops belonging to the three local divisions in Zhongtiao Mountain, advanced more than 800 meters along the way.
At this time, the battle situation between the two sides evolved. The Eighth Route Army's blocking fortifications, which were originally approximately a horizontal line in front of the Japanese mopping up troops, were first broken through a large gap in the middle line by Uchida's brigade.
From the perspective of the Fourth Independent Regiment, this is the first to put the Japanese Kwantung Army brigade in their pocket, and then they can completely close the door and beat the dogs.
From the perspective of the old Japanese Nobuya Uchida, he believed that he was the first to break through the Eighth Route Army's defensive front.
You can break through the surface to drive the main force of the sweep and destroy the Eighth Route Army in one fell swoop.
The contest between the two sides quickly became intense.
Uchida Nobuya has already contacted the headquarters at the rear.
Newsletter says:
"Our unit is about to take the lead in breaking through the Eighth Route Army's forward defenses, and is preparing to continue its fierce attack to break the Eighth Route Army's comprehensive defense from within.
Please follow up the main force of our army’s follow-up raids in a timely manner and cooperate to destroy the main force of the Eighth Route Army.”
The Japanese Army General Command also deeply agrees with the combat plan proposed by Uchida Shinya.
And made it clear that the main force will follow up in time.
……
The Japanese army swept through the rear of the main force.
Originally, Han Feng led the soldiers of the fourth battalion and four companies to cut off the Japanese army's transportation lines in the rear, and also used the terrain to deal with the returning Japanese troops to reduce the pressure on the four regiments in the front.
After receiving Wang Huaibao's order to destroy the Kwantung Army brigade.
Han Feng made decisive tactical adjustments.
"Old Zhang, this Japanese Kwantung Army brigade is not a vegetarian.
If our regiment commander wants to defeat the Uchida brigade in one go, we must use the main force of the entire regiment, use superior troops and superior firepower, and concentrate all our forces to fight an ambush battle that lures the enemy in depth."
"So, once the battle starts, our fourth battalion must rush over in time."
"But someone still needs to control the rear, but... I don't have too many troops left for you!"
Zhang Min said without saying a word: "Old Han, just give me the order and leave me one platoon, that's enough!"
Han Feng shook his head and said: "The strength of a platoon is too small and the risk is too high. In this way, I will leave all the main forces of the company to you, and I will take away the rest immediately.
After making a detour, we cooperated with the main force of the regiment to ambush the Uchida brigade."
"Okay!"
After the two quickly reached an agreement, Han Feng immediately led the second, third, and fourth companies back through the planned route.
Zhang Minze led a company of soldiers alone to continue to harass the Japanese army in the rear and attract the attention of the Japanese army.
At this time, the Japanese army's attention was almost entirely on the main force of the four regiments fighting in the front, coupled with the fierce attack of the Kwantung Army brigade, it became the focus of the entire battlefield.
The Japanese army's original mopping-up campaign created a large gap.
Han Feng took the opportunity to lead the main force of the three companies to insert into the gap, quietly weaving in and out, and returned to the vicinity of the main force of the fourth regiment.
Lurk in the place where you plan to ambush the Kwantung Army brigade.
……
Duan Peng also received news of the fourth regiment’s adjusted combat deployment.
In order to support the regiment's main force's plan to destroy the Uchida Brigade.
At this time, Duan Peng, who was still lurking inside Yuan County, immediately summoned the commando team members and issued an adjusted combat order:
"There is no need to hold back in the next battle.
It’s not just the various military facilities of the Japanese.
Including the main security officers of the Japanese army in the county.
Let's behead the little devil.
Let's form a group of four people to form an assassination and beheading team.
Remember, as long as we can ensure our own safety, no matter how big or small, we can choose to kill all targets above the rank of lieutenant."
"Yes!"
Several group leaders responded in unison.
Duan Peng also made advance preparations for this.
The commando team has always been well-equipped and has an even richer arsenal of spare weapons. This time, in order to support the main force of the regiment in combat, it also undertakes complex combat tasks.
In Ji County and Yuan County, including some major Japanese counties, the commandos secretly prepared temporary weapons depots to store weapons in advance.
After the current combat mission adjustment, it has been transformed into a beheading operation.
In order to ensure the efficiency of the beheading operation and ensure the safety of the team members themselves.
Duan Peng's order is: "Avoid close range, as it will easily reveal your own killing method.
Various assassination methods such as time bomb assassination and long-range sniping can be used, with sniping being the main method.
Don’t be greedy for heads, evacuate immediately after one hit!”
After the deployment, the team members immediately divided into multiple groups to fight separately.
……
……
Zhongtiao Mountain runs along the Yellow River. It is a long and narrow mountain with towering peaks.
The northern foot of the mountain range is the flat Yuncheng Basin, which is connected to the Sushui River Basin. The mountains are steep and the drop is very large.
The southern slope is smaller and is mainly located in the Yellow River Basin. It is low and gentle. Due to the incision of the river on the mountain, a large area of plateau landform is formed.
The landform of this plateau is very peculiar. It is not as flat as a plain, nor as obscure as a cliff.
Due to the impact of running water, it has formed a unique terrain with steep sides and a flatter top.
In other words, it is a bit like the situation in the Lijiapo Hills where the Yamazaki Brigade was destroyed.
The temporary army brigade headquarters of the old Japanese Nobuya Uchida follows the middle and rear of Uchida's brigade.
After the main force of the fourth regiment's center line retreated, Nobuya Uchida ordered the pursuit to continue, and the main force of Uchida's brigade advanced more than 200 meters.
Then the forward observation post came with the news:
"Your Excellency, Captain, the front is once again blocked by the Eighth Route Army troops. They have occupied the high slope and are holding on. It seems that they are going to start a decisive battle with us here."
"Nani?"
Uchida Shinya was somewhat surprised.
Although he also knew very well that if the Eighth Route Army continued to retreat, sooner or later he would be forced to fight on the north bank of the Yellow River.
The opponent's commander is obviously also a master tactician.
Most likely they will not put themselves in danger, but will launch a counterattack before reaching the north bank of the Yellow River.
However, the speed of the eight-pronged counterattack was beyond Nobuya Uchida's expectation.
After ascending to a high ground at the forward observation post, Nobuya Uchida raised his telescope and looked towards the flat-topped high ground not far away and the surrounding steep high ground.
Then I discovered the unique terrain of the highland in front of me.
"The raised highland in the middle is dozens of meters high. There are quite steep cliffs on the east, west and south sides. The main force cannot launch an attack from above."
"Only the north slope facing us is gentler, but the gentle slope to the high ground is obviously a bit narrow. From this point of view, even if we launch an attack, our army can only launch one squadron by one."
After analyzing this, Uchida Shinya had a smile on his lips.
"It's a bit interesting. In this way, the Eighth Route Army will stick to the high ground in front of them. Even if more reinforcements from our army arrive, due to the gentle slope to the north and the narrowness, the Eighth Route Army can occupy an absolute advantage in strength on the top to launch a counterattack."
"The commander of the Eighth Route Army on the other side is indeed a master of tactics."
The Japanese staff officer on the side analyzed it out of caution:
"Your Excellency, Captain, the high ground in front of us is indeed an excellent and dangerous terrain that is easy to defend but difficult to attack for the Eighth Route Army. But once we block the gentle slope to the north, won't the Eighth Route Army be trapped and die on the high ground?"
"So I guess there must be an evacuation path somewhere in the east, west, south, etc., which is the escape route prepared by the Eighth Route Army in advance."
"In addition, why did the Eighth Route Army suddenly stick to the high ground in front of them and stop retreating?"
"Could it be a trap? Do they want to use the high ground in front of them to hold on and wait for the Eighth Route Army on the left and right flanks to completely encircle our army?"
Uchida Nobuya asked: "You mean, the purpose of the Eighth Route Army is not the counter-mopping operation at hand, but to destroy our Kwantung Army brigade in one fell swoop?"
The Japanese staff officer nodded without denying it.
Uchida Nobu also smiled, "Your worries are unnecessary. Troops from all sides of the Eighth Route Army are blocking the advance of our army's mopping up troops in different directions.
The battle line in front of the Eighth Route Army is approximately a straight line, but in front of us we are the first to break through a point.
Can the Eighth Route Army abandon defensive positions in other directions and come to encircle and destroy our troops?"
After analyzing this, Uchida Shinya's mouth was full of sarcasm.
"If that's the case, the Eighth Route Army has fallen into my trap."
"Once our troops advance, we will attract troops from the entire defensive front of the Eighth Route Army and encircle our troops.
So from a more peripheral direction, our army can mop up the main force and use our troops to hold back the main force of the Eighth Route Army and form a large encirclement again."
"In this way, although the main force of the Eighth Route Army has surrounded our unit, our Imperial Japanese Army can also surround the entire main force of the Eighth Route Army from the outside."
"At that time, our troops will use the center-opening tactic to advance outwards and join forces with the main external forces to attack from both front and rear."
"Do you think these eight-legged gangsters can still survive under such circumstances?"
The analysis by the steadfast Shinya Uchida is actually very subtle.
Of course, the premise of all this is:
The Uchida Brigade was able to withstand the siege of the Fourth Independent Regiment and persist until the Japanese army swept away the main force and surrounded the Fourth Independent Regiment from the outside again.
As a veteran who has been on the battlefield for a long time, the old Japanese Nobuya Uchida, who never lacks the courage to fight with the enemy, is full of confidence in this.
"Two hours, you only need to hold on for two hours at most. It's just a troop of the Eighth Route Army. It's simply too easy."
Uchida Nobuya continued: "So next, even if we use the trick to make the Eight Route Army believe that we have indeed fallen into their trap, our Uchida brigade is indeed here to die.
Our troops should also immediately launch an attack on the high ground where the Eighth Route Army is stationed in front of us."
"Notify the troops at the front, cooperate with the reconnaissance troops to advance, and after understanding the situation, immediately determine the offensive deployment."
"Hi!"
……
"Commander, the Japanese reconnaissance troops and frontline troops have tried to attack."
"We just set up a company on the high ground of Wumingpo. Isn't the strength too small?"
Provisional Headquarters of the Fourth Regiment.
A cadre said worriedly.
Wang Huaibao was confident about this, "That's enough. We have placed a company on this highland not to destroy the enemy, but to block the Japanese army below the northern slope of the highland."
The combat situation in front of me seems familiar.
This reminded Wang Huaibao of the battle that destroyed the Yamazaki Brigade.
"You still remember that at the end of the year before last, after the Hundred Regiment War, the Japanese Yamazaki Battalion accidentally touched the front line where our arsenal is located, right?"
The cadres nodded one after another and recalled the situation when the Yamazaki Brigade was destroyed.
Wang Huaibao said: "At that time, our old regiment leader had the foresight to send a guard company in advance, led by a monk."
"Later, the monk first led the guards to blow up a line of sky.
Then lead the Japanese to Lijiapo.
On the Lijiapo Highlands, a company of monks blocked the attack of the Yamazaki Brigade for several hours.
By the time the main reinforcements of our army arrived, the Yamazaki Brigade had already suffered all its casualties."
"I don't expect our company to be able to severely damage the Kwantung Army brigade in front of us. As long as we can delay it and buy time for our army to encircle it, it is enough."
After the command’s orders continue to be implemented.
Although he showed full confidence in front of the cadres, this confidence even infected every cadre of the Fourth Regiment.
But when there was no one around, Wang Huaibao's frown showed that he was also worried about this battle in his heart.
Anyone with a discerning eye can see the current battle situation.
The key lies in whether the Fourth Independent Regiment of the Eighth Route Army can quickly and severely damage the Uchida Brigade of the Kwantung Army within two hours.
Evacuate before the Japanese army sweeps away the main force and encircles them.
Once the battle fails, they will be entangled by the Uchida Brigade.
Then it is very likely that the main force of the Fourth Regiment will be completely surrounded by the Japanese army.
At that time, either the fourth regiment will abandon a company of troops stationed on the high ground and directly choose to evacuate.
Either the Fourth Regiment will be forced to engage in a decisive battle with the Japanese army and fall into danger.
Wang Huaibao's decision to destroy the Japanese Kwantung Army brigade and inflict heavy losses on the Japanese army was not just because of the anger caused by what he saw in Bingtun Village.
The Japanese army is now launching a large-scale sweep, obviously to force the main force of the Fourth Regiment to fight decisively.
Even if you don’t fight now, you will have to fight sooner or later.
The Fourth Regiment will eventually launch a counter-offensive to crush this Japanese sweep.
The Uchida Battalion is the most elite Kwantung Army unit of the Japanese army.
Nothing could have dealt a heavier blow to the Japanese army than directly destroying Uchida's brigade.
After Wang Huaibao thought about it again and again, he formulated a battle plan to kill the Uchida brigade first...