Thanks to the efforts of the soldiers of the Independent Regiment, the reverse slope fortifications and tunnel fortifications have begun to take shape.
These fortifications are not a single hilltop, but are connected to several hilltops, one after another. Only in this way can we have the depth of defense, so that it will not be defeated in one blow because there is no room to retreat under the fierce attack of the enemy.
During the interval of construction, Zhou Ping came up to Wang Xuexin with a newspaper from nowhere and asked: "Platoon leader, they said that we can make our own guns. Can you please take a look, is it true?"
Wang Xuexin took it and took a look. It had the words "Anti-Enemy Three-Day Journal" written on it. He thought it was a newspaper run by the Eighth Route Army itself.
Looking at the headlines on the front page, there was indeed an article about gun manufacturing, titled "Our Army Successfully Produced Type 55 Rifles and Equipped them with the Troops." It was all about how military industry personnel overcame difficulties and used crude equipment to produce rifles.
But of course, the address of the arsenal and gun data are all secrets and cannot be written out in a newspaper.
"Yes!" Wang Xuexin nodded and replied: "That's what it says above!"
The soldiers were filled with joy when they heard this, and then they started discussing:
"Can this be used to make a gun?"
"Can't our arsenal also make cannons? What's the point of making guns?"
"Is it more difficult to make a cannon or a gun?"
"Of course it's difficult to make a cannon! You'll know which one fires louder, right?"
…
Huzi clapped the 38 cap in his hand and said excitedly: "In the future, can we also use the guns we made to fight the Japanese?"
Wang Xuexin just smiled and said nothing.
Wang Xuexin knows something about this Type 55 rifle.
It is an imitation rifle produced by the Eighth Route Army Huangyadong Arsenal. Wang Xuexin remembers that the output of this gun is only a few dozen per month. In addition, it is made of rail steel, which has a short lifespan and an unsatisfactory range.
, and in the end it was not officially installed.
So Huzi wants to use the gun he made to fight the Japanese... but he is afraid he will be disappointed.
Just when Wang Xuexin was in a daze, the monk shouted to Wang Xuexin from a few meters away: "Xiao Dongbei, the leader is calling you!"
Wang Xuexin responded and followed the monk towards the temporary regiment headquarters.
The temporary regiment headquarters was located in a natural cave near the foot of the mountain. It was spacious, solid, and connected by a communication trench. The orderlies set up kettles to boil water next to it. In the middle, a table was set up with a shell box, making it look like a camping area.
Li Yunlong, who was guarding the radio station when he saw Wang Xuexin coming in, nodded and turned back to the map. After Wang Xuexin stepped forward and saluted, Li Yunlong said solemnly: "The Japs have already started fighting, and their actions this time are a little different!"
Wang Xuexin was not surprised by this. Okamura Neji was famous for his novel tactics.
Li Yunlong pointed at the map and said: "On the surface, the Japanese seem to be the same as before. They are still sweeping up the enemy as before. However, they dispersed their troops and spread out across the highway to surround the villages. The situation of our army is probably not optimistic!"
Wang Xuexin knew this, and it was called the "fish scale encirclement array" in modern times.
This tactic is mainly aimed at raiding the gray areas of our army's "guerrilla zones", which the Japanese call "quasi-security zones".
Usually, the Japs use a linear push to sweep forward.
This method of mopping up may catch the villages ahead off guard, but the fellow villagers and troops in the following villages will move as soon as they hear the sound of gunfire.
At the same time, the guerrillas or the Eighth Route Army would also block the Japanese's actions by laying mines, blocking and other methods along the way.
As a result, the "results" of the Japanese raids became less and less the deeper you went, and in many villages it could even be said that nothing was gained.
This time, the Japanese came deep along the highway, and then spread out to separate and encircle the villagers on both sides, leaving the villagers with no way to escape. The encirclement line was layered one after another like fish scales, so it was called the "fish scale encirclement array."
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At this time, Zhao Gang came over from the radio station. He held a telegram in his hand. When he handed it to Li Yunlong, he said with relief: "The Japanese's new raiding tactics really caught us off guard. But fortunately, tunnels were built in every village.
Although some parts have not yet been completed, it is not a problem for the guerrillas and fellow villagers to hide in and escape!"
Then Zhao Gang cast a grateful look at Wang Xuexin and said: "Comrade Wang Xuexin, the commander specifically asked me to express his gratitude to you. The tunnel battle you proposed came at the right time. Otherwise, we would have suffered only losses and casualties this time."
I’m afraid it’s hard to estimate!”
Li Yunlong read the telegram and laughed: "I thought this tunnel warfare was useless, but I didn't expect it to come in handy at the critical moment!"
Wang Xuexin stared at the map without saying anything. After a while, he said: "Regiment leader, political commissar, I think the enemy's goal is not just the 'guerrilla zone'."
"How do you say it?" Zhao Gang asked.
Wang Xuexin replied thoughtfully: "The Japanese went all the way along the highway and spread their troops along both sides. I think it was not just to surround the fellow villagers and rob supplies. If we do this, we will underestimate Okamura Neji!"
As he spoke, Wang Xuexin pointed to the highways on the map and said: "The Japanese forces are mainly supported by Highways No. 3, 5 and 9. These roads lead directly to our army's base areas from east to west. The Japanese use this kind of
This method of sweeping also ensures the safety and smoothness of the highways. If the Japanese still have troops along these highways that we don’t know about..."
Before Wang Xuexin could finish speaking, Zhao Gang exclaimed: "Are you saying that the Japanese are just preparing for the insertion of the main force?"
"I guess that's 80% true!" Wang Xuexin nodded.
Li Yunlong jumped up: "Damn it, the Japanese are going to get serious this time. If this is the case, the number of troops will be more than double the usual number! Let's just practice and fight the damn ones."
happy!"
Zhao Gang frowned and considered for a while, then said: "No, I must report this situation to the headquarters immediately!"
After saying that, he turned around and walked towards the radio station.
Li Yunlong no longer hesitated and immediately ordered the communications troops to answer the phone lines and prepare for battle.
The person who received the telegram at the headquarters was the chief of staff. As soon as he saw Zhao Gang's report, he realized what was going on and hurriedly handed the telegram to the chief.
"This is Okamura Neiji!" The leader looked at the telegram and compared it with the map, nodding in shock: "I couldn't figure out what he was doing just now, but now I understand. The Japanese must have secretly transferred
Several troops came back, and the numbers were quite large. Neji Okamura first used these mixed brigades to shoot a false shot in front of us, making us think that their goal was still to sweep up. In fact, they opened up the communication lines and quickly moved the main troops.
Get in front of us!"
The commander did not dare to neglect and immediately issued an order: "Order all troops stationed in the plains to withdraw into the mountainous areas. The troops stationed in the mountainous areas should prepare for battle and must block the Japanese attack!"
Then the commander suddenly discovered that all the hopes of the Eighth Route Army seemed to be pinned on the anti-slope fortifications in Xiaodongbei. Otherwise...if the Japanese were to pursue them all the way from behind, the consequences would be disastrous.