The area on the north bank of the Weihe River had been shrouded in gunpowder smoke more than five hours ago, and the roaring sounds of artillery and gunfire were mixed together with the collision and shouts of the two armies.
The offensive troops of the Liantai Militia and the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army were engaged in a fierce offensive and defensive battle with the remnants of the 47th Division of the 6th Division that was conducting a desperate counterattack.
Bodies in iron-grey, gray and brown military uniforms can be seen everywhere on the north bank of the Wei River. The fierce offensive and defensive battle has lasted for more than six hours, and both the offensive and defensive sides have paid a heavy price.
After the general offensive started at 6 a.m. on the 3rd of the 7th, the field battle involving tens of thousands of people between the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese army was extremely fierce, with both the offensive and defensive sides trying their best.
As of noon on July 4, the Sixth Division and the 47th Division finally retreated to Ping'an County with difficulty, and the remaining troops of the two divisions, less than 10,000, all retreated to this county.
The two division commanders, Kanda Masane and Osako Tosada, finally met here. I will not mention the regrets after the meeting. Now there are only two roads in front of them.
Either defend Ping'an County or continue to retreat.
If you choose the former, if the reinforcements cannot arrive in time, both divisions are likely to be annihilated here, but at least they can cause maximum damage to the Chinese army when they are facing a backlash.
If you choose the latter, you can continue to survive, but if you really want to do this, there will probably be only a few people left.
After much thought, the two division commanders finally decided to stick to Ping'an County. They believed that Ningji Murura would not sit back and watch the 6th Division and the 47th Division follow in the footsteps of the 108th Division. After all, the consequences would be too serious.
No one can afford to lose three divisions in a battle. If Okamura Neji really dares to do this, even if he is the commander of the front army, the only thing waiting for him is to be dismissed sadly.
In this way, a fierce offensive and defensive battle began.
On July 5th, the offensive and defensive battle in Ping'an County officially kicked off.
A total of more than 30,000 people from the Liantai Militia and the 129th Division launched an attack on more than 8,000 Japanese troops in Ping'an County. However, the two armored battalions were still the vanguard and main force in this battle.
To the surprise of Gao Hongming and Commander Liu, Kanda Masane and Osako Tosada did not focus their defense on the perimeter. The troops quickly broke through the perimeter defense line, but encountered stubborn Japanese resistance after entering the county.
Ping'an County is a large county with a permanent population of more than 300,000. It is also located on the Tongpu Railway branch line, so the train station here has also become the focus of the battle.
The stubbornly resisting Japanese troops at the train station fought desperately to build simple temporary bunkers using sacks, stones and door panels and bed boards snatched from people's homes in the streets and houses near the station. There were few open areas around the station.
The blackened tanks and corpses scattered everywhere told people about the brutality of the battle.
The attacking Eighth Route Army soldiers tried their best to make use of the dilapidated bunkers scattered around the streets, using sandbags to cover themselves as they charged forward. There were some gray corpses scattered among the brown corpses on the street.
Train Battle is the base camp of the Japanese 47th Division. If you capture it, you will have captured Ping'an County!
At this time, the attacking Eighth Route Army soldiers did not flinch at all. Many soldiers who leaped forward and charged were hit and fell from time to time. The battle for the train station only lasted half an hour, and Li Yunlong's First Battalion of the Independent Regiment had already lost a company.
of military strength.
"boom!"
With an explosion, dusty smoke poured into the frontline command post at the corner of the street. Li Yunlong's head was injured. Although it was wrapped with layers of gauze, blood still seeped out of the gauze, dyeing the white gauze dark red.
.
"Report to the brigade commander, we have cleared the enemy's perimeter and reached the train station square. Now the little devil is making the final resistance, but our regiment has suffered heavy casualties. If possible, I hope to add one or two companies to me.
force!"
Brigadier Chen on the other end of the phone was silent for a while after listening to Li Yunlong's request. In order to capture Ping'an County and completely annihilate the 6th Division and the 47th Division, he had invested all three regiments in his hand.
What kind of reinforcements are there?
Should we then request armored reinforcements from the Joint Command and let the precious tanks perish together with the Japs’ suicide bombs?
The terrain of the train station is complex, and the remaining Japanese troops have set up many obstacles in the train station. It is difficult for tanks to take advantage of this terrain. In order to capture Pingan Train Station, the armored forces have lost several tanks. Although Gao Hongming
He didn't say anything, but Commander Liu and Commissar Liu felt sorry for him.
Thinking of this, Brigadier Chen hardened his heart and said, "Li Yunlong, let me tell you.
Although the casualties of your independent regiment are not small, the casualties of the Japanese army are even greater. Persistence is victory. Our 386th Brigade is determined to fight for this. As long as you capture the train station and capture the head of Osako Tsusada, the old devil, then you
The Independent Group is the most dazzling star in China.
I will personally request the honor for you, and maybe the deputy commander-in-chief will personally award you with the medal at that time!
Let's do this. I'll assign two platoons from the brigade headquarters security company to you. Remember, we must seize the train station before seven o'clock tonight and wipe out the 47th Division. Do you understand?"
Although Brigadier Chen no longer had any extra troops, he knew that after these days of fighting, the losses of the independent regiment had been very heavy, otherwise the always arrogant Li Yunlong would not have asked for reinforcements, so he gritted his teeth.
Two platoons of troops were transferred from the guard company to Lin Long.
Hearing that the brigade commander had sent all the security companies to him, Li Yunlong also knew that his brigade commander really could not mobilize any extra troops. He gritted his teeth and said: "Please rest assured, brigade commander, I will definitely take the victory before seven o'clock tonight."
Ping'an Railway Station, if the brigade commander doesn't take action then, I'll take care of myself!"
Compared with Ding Wei and Kong Jie's troops, the biggest feature of Li Yunlong's troops is that they have an indescribable "bandit spirit". Just like what Li Yunlong often said, I fight only the elite.
!
Putting down the phone, Li Yunlong grabbed the MP40 submachine gun on the table and said to Zhao Gang beside him: "Old Zhao, you stay here to take command! Chief of Staff, notify the reserve team to follow me!"
More than a minute later, a sharp bugle sound sounded in the street. The passionate bugle sound made the more than a thousand soldiers of the independent regiment who could still fight understand that the moment of decisive battle had arrived.
Groups of Eighth Route Army soldiers in gray military uniforms rushed towards the train station amidst the sound of military bugles. Behind them, the artillery battery of the Independent Regiment desperately threw mortar shells, Type 92 infantry guns and other artillery shells at the opposite side.
The railway station was once again submerged in gunpowder smoke...