Koizumi Yukio was planning an attack on Qixia Ridge, but what he didn't know was that at this moment, all of Shanxi's eyes were fixed on Qixia Pass, a pass with a radius of only more than 20 kilometers.
As mentioned before, since the fall of Shanxi, except for a few dozen counties, hundreds of other counties have all fallen into the hands of the Japanese invaders.
It's just that although the Japanese occupied almost all cities, they were limited by the lack of troops. They could only deploy limited troops in the cities and could only stare at the vast mountainous areas and villages. This also gave Yan Xishan
The Jinsui Army and the Eighth Route Army under his leadership have a chance to survive and develop.
By the end of 1940, the Eighth Route Army's troops in Shanxi had reached nearly 400,000 people, which also caused extreme uneasiness in the Japanese army.
Originally, the commander of the First Army, Lieutenant General Shinozuka Yoshio, was already preparing for a large-scale mopping up plan, but this plan had some changes due to the appearance of Gao Hongming.
Eighth Route Army Headquarters
The deputy commander-in-chief faced the deputy chief of staff and senior brigade commanders such as Commander Liu of the 129th Division, Commander He of the 120th Division, Commander Lin of the 115th Division, and Brigadier Chen of the 386th Brigade who had just arrived: "
Now that everyone is here, let me inform you of the intelligence I just received."
These days, according to what comrades in the intelligence department have reported to us, since May 1 this year, the Japanese army has launched the Zaoyi Battle, the largest since the Wuhan Battle. In Guangdong, it has launched Operation Liangkou in an attempt to attack Chongqing.
The government exerted military pressure.
During this period, the Japanese army also showed signs of large-scale raids on our base areas in Shanxi and northwestern Shanxi. These days, the Japanese army has begun to gather troops on a large scale.
What we know so far is that there are two Japanese divisions, 36 and 37, as well as 8 regiments, 11 brigades and a large number of puppet troops.
Just yesterday, Commander Tada Jun of the North China Front even visited Taiyuan in person. We estimate that it may be related to the large-scale raids prepared by the Japanese army. Comrades, the current situation is very serious."
The more than ten heads of state attending the meeting had serious expressions, many of them frowned, and the conference room fell into silence for a long time.
This sweep is unusual. There are two divisions, eleven brigades and eight regiments, with a strength of at least more than 100,000. Once the Japanese army is allowed to calmly prepare and start the sweep, things will become serious.
A voice suddenly rang out, "We cannot allow the Japanese army to prepare so easily, otherwise it will definitely cause a devastating blow to our army and even the base areas in northwestern Shanxi, and it will also turn the efforts made by the Eighth Route Army in Shanxi since the Anti-Japanese War into ruins."
Nothing."
The person who said this was none other than Commander Liu of the 129th Division. He was wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses and had a determined look on his face.
"The enemy!"
At this time, Brigadier Chen of the 386th Brigade also spoke.
"As the saying goes, strike first to gain strength and then suffer disaster. We cannot passively wait for the Japanese to launch an attack. Since last year, the Japanese army has begun to blockade our base area and implemented the so-called cage policy in an attempt to trap us.
Starve to death.
Now they want to launch a raid on us again and try to eliminate us, but we cannot do what they want. How about we take the lead in launching an offensive and defeat their plan!"
"I think what Lao Chen said makes sense."
"I think so too. Instead of being passively beaten, it's better to take the initiative."
Everyone started talking, and most people expressed their intention to agree.
Seeing that everyone expressed support for this intention, the deputy commander finally made up his mind, "Okay...since everyone has this intention, I think we might as well concentrate all the forces we can use to attack the Japanese troops in Shanxi and northwest Shanxi."
Launch a counter-mopping up to make the Japanese's mopping-up plan aborted!
The main leaders of each army are here today, so let's report how many troops each ministry can allocate to participate in this anti-mopping up plan. The deputy chief of staff will be responsible for statistics."
Soon, the statistical results came out. There were a total of 105 regiments reported by various ministries.
The deputy commander couldn't help being very happy when he saw this, and blurted out: "Since there are more than a hundred regiments participating, let's call it the Hundred Regiments War. Deputy Chief of Staff, you immediately draft a telegram to inform us of our plan.
Report to the central government and ask for approval from the central government."
Just as the Deputy Chief of General Staff was drafting the message, a staff officer came in and said, "Report to the Deputy Commander-in-Chief. The intelligence department has come to report that just the day before yesterday, the Japanese 41st Division had set off from Taiyuan and has now arrived at Qixia Pass."
, it is expected that a war will break out in the near future."
"oh!"
Everyone couldn't help being surprised. Commander Liu of the 129th Division quickly asked: "Which unit of the Shanxi-Sui Army is the garrison stationed at Qixia Pass?"
The staff officer replied with a somewhat strange expression: "The troops stationed at Qixia Pass are not the troops of the Shanxi-Sui Army, but a local militia."
"Vigilante group?"
The conference room became silent again. Everyone looked at me and me, and they all felt that this world is so amazing. When did a local militia dare to resist a division of the Japanese army?
"etc..."
Brigadier Chen of the 386th Brigade asked: "Is that militia group the Liantai County militia group? Is their leader named Gao Hongming?"
The staff officer nodded repeatedly: "That's right...it's the Liantai County Vigilante Group, and their leader is called Gao Hongming."
"That's right!" Brigadier Chen slapped his thigh. Only this little guy who was braver than the sky dared to do such a thing.
"Old Chen, tell me what's going on." Mr. He from the 120th Division, who had a bold temperament, asked quickly.
Brigadier Chen said: "I don't know much, so let's just talk about it. Mr. He, just listen to it. This Gao Hongming was born in a famous gentry in Liantai County, Shanxi Province. His ancestors were big landowners in Liantai County for several generations, and there were always people in his family.
Money.
Gao Hongming had a naughty character since he was a child. When he grew up, his father couldn't stand it anymore and sent him to study abroad. Half a year ago, his father went out to work in the countryside and encountered a Japanese patrol on his way back. There was a quarrel between the two sides.
conflict.
He was killed by a Japanese patrol during the conflict. After hearing the news, Gao Hongming returned to his hometown and formed a militia group vowing to avenge his father. Just five months ago, this kid took advantage of the fact that our brigade's new group was following him.
During a fierce battle, the third regiment of the independent mixed fourth brigade of the Japanese army raided their headquarters, killed their regiment leader Nobutsuru Sakata, and also seized the Japanese regiment flag."
"It turns out to be this kid." Mr. He suddenly realized: "When you said this, I remembered that a few months ago, Yan Laoxi held a battle in Kenanpo and publicly displayed the captured Japanese troops.
flag, many newspapers reported it extensively.
At first, I thought it was Chiang Kai-shek's propaganda trick again, so I didn't pay much attention to it, but I didn't expect it to be true."
"More than that!"
Brigadier Chen laughed, "A few days ago, Gao Hongming actually led his militia to attack Ping'an County. Li Yunlong, the leader of the independent regiment under our brigade, has some friendship with him. After hearing the news, he actually asked me to lead him to Ping'an County to help.
, I almost whipped him at first, but after thinking about it, I asked the division and headquarters for permission. Unexpectedly, the deputy commander-in-chief actually agreed, and this agreement is amazing."
Having said this, he picked up the boiled water in front of him and drank it, making Mr. He angry and funny.
"Well, old Chen, you have actually learned how to tell the truth. Please tell me quickly."
Brigadier Chen accepted the request and put down the tea cup with a smile, pretending to be modest and said: "Even I didn't expect that this guy Li Yunlong was not helping, he was just picking up things.
You don’t know how courageous Gao Hongming is. He dared to encircle and reinforce the town while attacking Ping’an County.”
"Surround the area for reinforcements?" Everyone became a little uneasy upon hearing this.
What is meant by encircling a point for reinforcements is a tactic that uses the enemy in the encirclement circle as bait to lure the enemy to come for reinforcements, thereby eating the enemy's reinforcements.
To implement this tactic, you cannot help but need strong troops and confidence in yourself. Otherwise, if you don't do it well, encircling a point and calling for reinforcements will be a recipe for death.
Moreover, how dare he, a mere militia group, dare to use such tactics?
"What happened next?" Commander Lin of the 115th Division, who had been silent all this time, asked.
Commander Lin of the 115th Division was no ordinary person. He commanded the Battle of Tiananmen three years ago. This battle was also known as the first direct contact between the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese Army.
"I don't know what to say." Brigadier Chen laughed: "When Li Yunlong and the independent regiment rushed to Ping'an County, they caught up with Gao Hongming's troops and a brigade of Japanese troops who came to the rescue. Li Yunlong and he summed up, and the two
People on the left and right launched a general attack on the Japanese army's brigade.
The two of them defeated the Japanese army with overwhelming force, while Li Yunlong's independent regiment picked up things while fighting. After the brigade was surrounded and annihilated, good guy, Li Yunlong picked up more than 300 rifles, several light and heavy machine guns, and several pieces just by picking up rags.
Ten grenade launchers, with fifty or sixty thousand rounds of ammunition."
"Good guys...you guys have made a fortune!" Everyone laughed.
"What is this?" Brigadier Chen said proudly: "After taking Ping'an County, Li Yunlong planned to say goodbye to him. Gao Hongming waved his hand and gave him all the seizures in this battle, including even some
The arsenal that was attacked contained enough weapons and ammunition to equip a regiment."
"What?"
"Is there such a good thing?"
Everyone was in an uproar, and even Mr. Lin couldn't calm down.
The number of people in a standard Japanese regiment is more than 3,800, and it also includes at least four to six Type 92 infantry cannons and dozens of light and heavy machine guns. It can be said that the 386th Brigade has obtained such
With more equipment, we can immediately expand three to four basic regiments.
"Old Liu, your 129th Division has made a fortune now." Mr. He smiled enviously and said to Mr. Liu beside him.
"How can this be considered making a fortune?" Mr. Liu waved his hand, "This is just some luck."
"We in the 115th Division also want to have such luck." Commander Lin on the side suddenly said this. Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then burst into laughter. Everyone did not expect that the usually taciturn Commander Lin would also tell a cold joke.
Seeing that the atmosphere in the conference room began to relax, the deputy commander-in-chief and deputy chief of staff secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Civil and military affairs were relaxing. Being too nervous before a war is not a good thing.
The always serious deputy commander also smiled and said: "You may not know, but Gao Hongming not only gave Li Yunlong equipment for a regiment, but also gave two high-power radio stations to the independent regiment and the new second regiment of the 386th Brigade.
."
"What?"
If everyone was just envious just now, this time they were a little jealous.
What is a radio station? A radio station is a combat power multiplier.
Today's Eighth Route Army is just short of weapons and ammunition. After all, these things can be obtained through various channels and confiscation, but the radio station cannot. No matter where it is placed, it is a key protection object. Once things are not in danger, the telegraph operator
The first thing to do was to burn the code books and destroy the radio stations, so even though the Eighth Route Army had been dealing with the Japanese army for several years, there were still only a handful of radio stations that could be captured.
Now Gao Hongming actually gave two high-power radio stations to the 386th Brigade. This is so awesome. Not to mention the brigade commanders with red eyes around them, even several division commanders can't stand it anymore.
Mr. He, who is bold by nature, immediately said: "Old Chen, we are delivering both guns and radios. Your 386th Brigade will treat us to a nice meal no matter what you say today, otherwise we will never agree. Everyone said yes."
no?"
"Yes!" all the brigade members said in unison: "Yes, let's go to Lao Chen's brigade headquarters together and ask him to treat us to a flowing table and feed him for three days and three nights."
"It's okay not to give them a living meal, but it's okay to give us two thousand Type 38 rifles and twenty machine guns."
Brigadier Chen spread his hands and said, "Don't think about it. I don't have a gun or my life."
"Hahaha..."
Seeing Brigadier Chen's dishonest look, all the division commanders and brigade commanders burst out laughing. Even Commander Lin, who had always been serious about his words, also showed a smile.
After Chen Geng finished speaking, he also laughed. He took out three boxes of cigarettes from his pocket and threw them on the table.
"We don't have any guns, but I, Old Chen, can invite you to smoke. This was given to us by Captain Gao. Let's all have a try."
Mr. Liu picked up the cigarette and took a look, "Marlboro, it's actually a Marlboro. This is an American product. Come on, let's all try it."
These days, there are very few soldiers who do not smoke. At one time, dozens of people were smoking in the conference room, making the huge conference room full of smoke.
Just as everyone was smoking and talking and laughing, another combat staff member came in and said loudly: "Chief, just now our radio station received a clearly coded surrender notice from the 41st Division to Gao Hongming."
After that, the staff officer read Koizumi Yukio's surrender notice.
After everyone listened quietly, the deputy commander asked: "Did that guy call you back?"
"Reply." The staff member replied: "The call back from Captain Gao Hongming only had one word... Bah!